Personal injury news - 31/10/2006
Work-related accidents and back injuries under the microscope
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a campaign to raise awareness about work-related back injuries and stop staff suffering from spinal pain at work.
There are hundreds of work-related accidents resulting in personal injury cases every year and a significant amount of work time is lost through sickness and absence because of back pain. Around 80 % of the UK population suffer from back pain every year and businesses lose 4.9 million days a year due to work-related back pain.
The charity BackCare estimates that the cost of back pain to the NHS, businesses nationwide and the economy is 5 billion a year.
The 2006 HSE campaign is being launched at Chester Zoo (www.chesterzoo.org), where back-breaking tasks such as feeding tall animals like elephants and giraffes have kept staff in pain for some years. Zoo keepers have in the past had to hold up 6m high branches for animals to eat, and stay still holding their food in the air while they eat it. A specially-designed hoist is now used to get food to tall animals to avoid back injuries.
Companies across the UK to be inspected before the para about company visits
Companies across the country are to be targeted in 'spot-check' inspections in to encourage better workplace health and safety practice and reduce the risk of work-related accidents causing back pain. The HSE visits will identify unsafe situations and processes and give businesses advice on good manual handling techniques and how to manage worker back injuries when they occur.
Roy Stewart, Fife Council Environmental Services Regulation Manager says: "Too many of us take our backs for granted and don't give due consideration when lifting and moving heavy objects. We are really pleased to be supporting the HSE in their campaign to raise the profile on back injuries.
"This year, around 200 visits have been made where MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders) have been discussed as one of the main topics when carrying out routine health and safety inspections."
The inspections are intended to cut the number of work-related accidents and will focus on ensuring that suitable lifting aids are available in the workplace, that products are displayed safely, can be easily retrieved and that staff use the correct lifting techniques.
Previous campaigns have included a crackdown on delivery companies called SOFA (Safety of Furniture Activities) to avoid back pain caused by lifting, carrying and loading. Read more about the HSE at www.hse.gov.uk.
