Work-related ill health Moving forward
Mark Flynn Health and Chemicals Unit, HSE SBTAF Meeting 3rd December 2015 Ill health in todays workplace
2 million suffering workplace illness (1.2 million working people, 0.8 former workers) 23.3 million working days lost to ill health 19.4 million working days lost due to MSDs and work related stress Around 13,000 deaths Due to cancer & respiratory disease Cost to Britain of workplace illness ~9.4 bn Estimated emerging costs for cancer double figure bn *2014/15 statistics HSEs ambition Reduce the incidence of occupational disease through:
Prevention and Control Sustained HSE activity Focus on improving effective management and control of health risks by supportingevidence based targeted interventions in high risk areas 3 Tackling the issue in the right way
Carry out research Establish evidence base Identify key industry sectors Analyse structure, characteristics, ill health data, evidence of what has worked/failed in each sector Decide what are most effective interventions Implement and review Priority on cancers and respiratory diseases Priorities: Cancer and Respiratory Disease
Carcinogenic agents/ exposure circumstances Asbestos Shift work Welders Painters Silica (RCS) Diesel (DEEEs) Respiratory disease: Industries/workplace activities that have high incidence and/or large number of workers potentially exposed: Construction workers Foundry workers Welders Quarry & stone workers Agricultural workers Vehicle paint sprayers Bakers Activity in well understood sectors
Crown Copyright 2014 6 Case study: Successful partnership working
Stop dust before it stops you. 7 7 Others getting involved Asbestos Campaign Crown Copyright 2014 9 Crown Copyright 2014 9 Tackling occupational disease - developing new approaches Proactive inspections
Greater focus on health Ongoing activity Control procedures Annual construction refurbishment initiative recent press release 12 Building and developing the evidence base - examples
Diesel engine exhaust emissions (DEEEs) Shift work Painters 13 Work streams for 2016 and beyond ..
14 Thank you 15