| Personal injury: One in
ten employees injured at work
New research from AXA Insurance has revealed
that as many as one in ten people have sustained an injury
in the work place in the past five years.
Employees in large companies almost twice
as likely to suffer an injury at work.
Employees in the professional services sector
almost twice as likely to be a victim of physical assault.
Most common accidents in the workplace are
trips, slips and falls.
Employees aged over 50 are most likely to
have a fall whilst doing their job (47%).
AXA’s study revealed that whilst employee
injuries are most likely to be caused by work-related accidents
(81%), for example, using machinery and tripping over, a shocking
eight per cent of work-related injuries sustained by employees
resulted from a physical assault by either a customer or colleague.
Maybe even more surprising is the fact that
the professional services industry, which includes lawyers,
consultants and accountants, experienced the highest level
of physical assault with as many as 15% of employees working
in the sector being assaulted by a customer.
The study also revealed that employees who
work for large companies (250 employees or more) are almost
twice as likely to suffer an injury whilst working compared
to those employed by small and medium-sized companies (10
to 250 employees). Like SMEs, smaller businesses (one to nine
employees) also had a better record for workplace accidents
and injuries when compared with large companies - 17% of small
business employees have suffered injuries at work compared
to 47% in large companies.
Workplace accidents account for the most
injuries at work and one third of all injuries are the result
of falls or trips. Strains and sprains are the most common
result of an accident – 34% of workplace accidents resulted
in these types of injuries. The AXA study also found that
employees aged over 50 are most likely to have a fall whilst
doing their job (47%) compared to 28% of 18-29 year olds and
nearly one in ten of those injured UK employees (9%) complain
of Repetitive Strain Inquiry (RSI) or other injuries caused
by the working environment.
Doug Barnett, risk control strategy manager
at AXA Insurance commented: “These findings should make
worrying reading for the business community. Accidents and
injuries sustained in the workplace can be extremely costly
for companies – through employees having to take time
off work to recover or because of compensation pay outs. In
light of this, we are advising businesses, of all shapes and
sizes, to assess the potential risks and dangers that the
working environment may pose to their employees and ensure
that they have stringent health and safety procedures in place.”
|
Most common accidents and resulting
injuries sustained in the workplace - How accident /
injury happened: Fall, slip or
trip
Kitchen accident
Lifting
Inappropriate working environment
Industrial machinery accident
Vehicle / road accident
Contact with dangerous substances
|
Percentage
of people who have suffered this in the past five years:
33%
19%
11%
9%
6%
4%
3%
|
|
Most common injuries sustained:
Musculoskeletal disorder
(back pain, strains and sprained muscles
Cut(s)
Burn(s)
Broken bone(s)
Loss of mobility
Headaches
Knocked unconscious
|
Percentage
of people who have suffered this in the past five years:
34%
28%
21%
11%
6%
4%
3%
|
source: injurywatch.com
(Last Updated: Thursday, 31st August, 2006)
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