The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have released their 2020/21 statistics*. These latest figures reiterate the importance of protecting long-term health, and why this must remain a top priority for decision makers within the Construction industry.
Headline statistics include:
- 1.7 million workers suffering from work-related ill health (new or long-standing) in 2020/21.
- 850,000 workers suffering from a new case of work-related ill health in 2020/21.
- 0.8 million workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety (new or long-standing) in 2020/21.
- 0.4 million workers sustaining a non-fatal injury in 2020/21 (Labour Force Survey).
By breaking down these statistics we can see how different hazards, such as noise, dust and fume, are specifically impacting long-term health;
- An estimated 14,000 workers were reported to be living with work-related hearing problems from 2018/19 to 2020/21 (Labour Force Survey).
- 95 new cases of occupational deafness were reported in 2019 (IIDB).
- 13,000 deaths each year are estimated to be linked to past exposure at work, primarily to chemicals or dust.
- 12,000 lung disease deaths each year are estimated to be linked to past exposures at work.
- 17,000 estimated new cases of breathing or lung problems caused or made worse by work annually over the last three years, according to self-reports from the Labour Force Survey.
- Occupational lung diseases account for around 12,000 of the 13,000 total annual deaths estimated to be linked to past exposures at work.
- Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the rate of annual new cases of occupational asthma seen by chest physicians had been increasing with 174 estimated cases in 2019.
- Over 75,000 workers are exposed to welding fumes, with around 152 deaths per year from fume-related lung cancer according to the HSE website.
- According to the HSE’s most recent cancer burden report, Diesel Engine Exhaust Emissions (DEEEs) cause an estimated 625 deaths, and over 10,000 workers are exposed to DEEEs.
- Lung cancer caused by Radon gas exposure kills an estimated 184 people per year, according to the HSE website.
In addition to these statistics, it is important to note that the HSE predicts that the following may become the main causes of occupational cancer in the near future:
- Exposure to silica
- Diesel engine exhaust
- Solar radiation
- Shift work and painting and welding work
This is a worrying prediction and serves as a reminder that it is essential for our workforce to follow the hierarchy of control when managing these hazards on site to protect their long-term health.
Finally, the HSE acknowledged the effects of Covid-19 on the construction industry and its workers. Although, due to the pandemic, there was no new data available on working days lost and economic cost, two new measures were developed to explore the impact of Covid-19 on work-related ill health in 2020/21;
- 0.6 million workers were suffering from a work-related illness caused or made worse by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic (new or long-standing) in 2020/21.
- 93,000 workers were suffering from Covid-19 in 2020/21 which they believe may have been from exposure to the virus at work (new or long-standing).
Awareness of health hazards and employing effective solutions to minimise their impact are vital for protecting workers’ long-term health. To learn more about health hazard control, click here.
*HSE Statistics can be found in the HSE’s Health and safety at work Summary statistics for Great Britain 2021 here and on their website.
