Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Latest NewsWellbeingOccupational Health

Workers ignore risk of back injury as cases soar

by Mike Berry 24 Jun 2005
by Mike Berry 24 Jun 2005

Apathy towards the risk of back injury means recorded cases are rocketing in the UK workplace, according to new findings from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

Its survey reveals that 59% of employees are putting their backs in danger by not taking the risks seriously. This is partly down to not regarding the risk of back injury as something that applies to them, but it seems Britain’s ‘stiff upper lip’ also has a lot to answer for, the HSE said.

Sixty per cent of employees admitted to continuing with an activity, despite being aware of the potential risk of injury, because it was easier, quicker and ‘unlikely’ to happen to them.

“As the cause of one in six work-related sickness absences, it is worrying that such a high percentage of employees are ignoring the risks at work, particularly when the effect it can have on their wider quality of life is taken into consideration,” said Elizabeth Gyngell, head of Better Working Environment at the HSE. 

About half the people surveyed who suffer from a back condition will get it again within a couple of years.

Although it may not be debilitating, it can cause considerable misery, impacting not only on workplace productivity and job prospects, but also family life and hobbies. 

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

There are 468,000 people in the UK who suffer from a work-related back injury, and 74,000 new cases were reported to the HSE in 2004 alone.

These are not restricted to manual occupations such as construction, logistics and nursing, but also affect more sedentary office jobs, the research found.

Mike Berry

previous post
Pay deals remain static
next post
Bank invests in dramatic diversity training scheme

You may also like

Man who juggled four council jobs guilty of...

18 Jul 2025

House of Lords votes against day-one dismissal rights

18 Jul 2025

Government launches call for evidence on unpaid internships

18 Jul 2025

Hospitality made up 45% of latest job losses

18 Jul 2025

‘Window of opportunity’ to avert resident doctor strikes

18 Jul 2025

Jaguar Land Rover to lose 500 management roles

18 Jul 2025

Gender pay gaps narrow in 2024-25

17 Jul 2025

UK job vacancies fall to a 10-year low

17 Jul 2025

Zero-hours employees may have to request guaranteed hours

17 Jul 2025

How to avoid the ‘Netflix effect’ in learning...

17 Jul 2025

  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today