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Health and Safety Related Accidents and ill-health

A major concern of safety at work is preventing accidents at work. An accident at work can be defined in different ways depending on the context in which it is used. Often also the word incident is used, sometimes as a broader term encompassing ‘ accident’ as a specific type of incident, but sometimes the words accidents and incidents refer to two different types of events.

Prevention of accidents at work focuses on the causes of accidents. Work-related ill health is any health condition caused, or made worse by your job. This can include sudden injuries, such as a slip or trip, or ‘slow’ injuries, such as the development of repetitive strain injury (RSI) or the ill health effects of stress at work.

Occupational ill-health is the general term for a variety of health problems and diseases that have been caused by or made worse by a person’s work.

Occupational ill-health is a major problem in the construction industry. The most common work-related illnesses affecting building workers are musculoskeletal conditions, asbestos-related diseases and the effects of noise and vibration exposure

Work-related ill health includes:

Physical injuries, ranging from sudden and obvious injury to longer-terms strains and stresses on the body, such as a backache, RSI, asthma, certain cancers, hearing loss and eye-strain; and

Mental ill health, such as stress, depression or anxiety. Mental ill health can be brought on by overwork, unacceptable pressures, bullying and intimidation, harassment, or from hazardous exposure to certain chemicals, e.g. solvents or sprays.

If you suspect that your ill health may be linked to your job, be sure to raise your fears with your GP (General Practitioner).

Your GP can issue you with a fit note, formerly known as a Statement of Fitness for Work. After your doctor has assessed you for your fitness for work, they will either use the fit note to advise your employer that you are not fit for work or that you may be fit for work as long as the employer follows the advice written on the fit note. The advice can include recommendations for a phased return to work, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations.

Common causes of work-related illness:

   Back pain

   Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

   Upper limb disorders

   Display screen equipment use

   Occupational asthma

   Occupational dermatitis

   Work-related noise and hearing loss

   Stress


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