However, this change in the working environment is contributing to many of the health and safety violations which can cause accidents at work. So, can enforcing bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive help to keep these accident rates down?



Worked into the ground

In Britain we work longer hours than any other European country. Unlike our friends on the continent who schedule in long lunches and siestas to their working day, we work ourselves rigid.

Although British workers are required to work a maximum of a 48 hour week they can opt out and work overtime. Many have to work longer hours as they need the extra money and others choose to work overtime in the hope of getting their mortgage or student debts paid off quicker. But don’t we need time to chill out?

Stress is the most common cause for absence from work in the UK. According to the statistics on work-related health and safety in Great Britain for 2004/05, around two million workers suffered from ill health including stress, depression and anxiety which they believed to be a result of their current or previous working role.

This does not stand us in good stead. As we become more dependent on our credit cards and run up higher debts we will turn to longer working hours and will continue to suffer the consequences.

Spaced out

Not only are the hours of work increasing but the number of workers is also escalating out of control. As competition in each sector grows, each company tries to dominate its competitors. This means they need a strong work force and, for many, strength comes in numbers.

When it comes to health, safety, welfare and working space, believe it or not, you do have rights. The Workplace Regulations 1992 stipulate that each person should have a minimum of 11 cubic metres of work space. However, this may include the space above your head so don’t get too excited.

Office space is being maximised and with the introduction of flat screen computers it is even easier to cram desks closer still. Many workers can reach their neighbouring colleague if they stretch out their arms and they can definitely smell what they had for lunch. This is not only an invasion of personal space but it also has serious health and safety implications.

An increase of people and computers in such a small area is putting a strain on air conditioning systems which can cause the workplace to overheat and cause even more problems for workers. Working in such close proximity of one another also makes it far easier to catch each other’s colds, bugs and viruses, often making for a much depleted work force.

A lack of personal space can also cause mental health issues. Workers can become aggressive in defence of their territory and feelings of nervousness and insecurity fuelled by a sense of always being on display can creep in.

Large quantities of people in a small space can also have safety implications. There is far more risk of an accident at work occurring if there are more people around because you may quite literally trip over one another. Also, as it is down to both employers and their employees to maintain health and safety standards, with more people crammed into such a tight space it is more difficult to regulate control.

Injuries and accidents at work

There has been a dramatic decline in the amount of fatal accidents at work since 1981. The fatal accident rate for all workers (employees and self-employed) for 1981 was more than 650 compared to around 200 for 2004/05.

Construction accounted for 71 fatal work accidents during 2004/05 and agriculture, forestry and fishing accounted for 42 accidents, making them the dangerous industries reported. On the other hand, finance/business and education showed the least accidents at work.

Non-fatal injuries as a result of accidents at work showed a significant decrease during 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03 before they dramatically increased again in 2003/04. Then in 2004/05 there was a decline of 2% in reported non-fatal injuries from the previous year. However, there were still 30,213 major personal injuries sustained including fractures, amputations and other injuries leading to resuscitation or 24-hour admittance to hospital.

The role of the Health and Safety Executive

An explanation for the general decline in personal injuries sustained as a result of accidents at work may be due to the continual growth of enforcing bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive.

However, the change in the working environment which has seen more workers crammed into tiny spaces working longer working hours could instigate the rise in incidence rates for accidents at work again.

It remains to be seen whether the Health and Safety executive can continue to keep work accidents and resulting injuries and fatalities to a minimum despite these changes.

If you have suffered ill health or a personal injury as a consequence of your employment then you should seek the advice of a personal injury solicitor that specialises in accidents at work.

http://www.the-claim-solicitors.co.uk