RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

September 26, 2006
OVERCOMING COSTLY WORKPLACE ACHES AND PAINS

The findings of a study on tackling Britain’s most common occupational illness will be presented at the RoSPA Scotland Safety and Health at Work Congress this week.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as low back pain, joint injuries and repetitive strain injuries, affect 1.1 million people in the UK at any one time and account for 11.6 million lost working days a year. An average of 19.85 sick days are taken per case.

Margaret Hanson, Principal Consultant at Hu-Tech Ergonomics in Edinburgh, conducted research, commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive, on the cost effectiveness of case management and rehabilitation of MSDs in the workplace.

The study found how case management, including action to prevent problems occurring in the first place, and workplace rehabilitation were cost-effective interventions, resulting in faster returns to work and reducing the duration of Incapacity Benefit claims.

Karen McDonnell, Head of RoSPA Scotland, said: “Musculoskelatal disorders are a significant challenge facing employers and society as a whole. Indeed, it has been estimated that back pain alone costs the NHS, business and the economy £5 billion a year.

“We welcome this latest study because it clearly demonstrates that employers can play an important role in tackling MSDs, firstly through reducing their workers’ risk of developing an injury, and, secondly, in quickly and effectively managing problems should they arise.

“Interventions that aim to rehabilitate injured employees so they can return to work have clear benefits for the individuals concerned, for their employers and for wider society.”

The RoSPA Scotland Safety and Health at Work Congress, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at the Hilton Hotel Glasgow, in association with ESS Support Services Worldwide, will address injury prevention and safety in the wider context of public health.

Other items on the agenda include stress management and the role of employers in preventing accidents outside the workplace.

See: www.rospa.com/scotlandcongress/ for more information.