Work-related ill health and occupational disease

Rates of work-related illness have generally reduced over the last decade.

• Over 12 000 deaths each year are estimated to have been caused by past exposure at work - primarily exposure to chemicals and dusts
• An estimated 1.1 million people who worked in 2011/12 were suffering from a work-related illness, of which 452 000 were new cases which started in the year (LFS)
• Around 80% of the new work-related conditions in 2011/12 were musculoskeletal disorders or stress, depression or anxiety (LFS)
• Other work-related illnesses include skin disease, respiratory disease, hearing loss and vibration-related disorders

New cases of self-reported work-related ill health amongst people who have worked in the last 12 months

Note: average sampling variability +/- 7% on the total

Note: No data on work-related illness was collected in 2002/03

More information about particular conditions

• Stress
• Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Cancer
• Asbestos-related disease
• Respiratory disease
• Deafness
• Skin disease
• Vibration-related disease

See information about our preferred data source for the most common work-related conditions.