Headline data from 2007/08 Self-reported Work-related Illness questionnaire module included in the national Labour Force Survey (LFS)

• In 2007/08, an estimated 213 000 people in Great Britain who had worked in the last year believed they were suffering from a musculoskeletal disorder mainly affecting the upper limbs or neck that was caused or made worse by their current or past work, according to the LFS (see Table SWIT3W12). This equates to 700 per 100 000 people (0.7%) in Great Britain who worked in the last 12 months.
• Of these, over a third, 81 000 people, first became aware of their work-related musculoskeletal disorder mainly affecting the upper limbs or neck in the previous 12 months.  This equates to an estimated 270 per 100 000 people (0.27%) with a new work-related musculoskeletal disorder mainly affecting the upper limbs or neck in this period (see Table SWIT6W12).
• This incidence rate is statistically significantly lower than in 2006/07, but of a similar order to other years over the period 2001/02 to 2005/06 (see Table SWIT6W12SIG).
• The LFS shows that an estimated 2.8 million working days (full-day equivalent) were lost in 2007/08 through musculoskeletal disorders mainly affecting the upper limbs or neck caused or made worse by work (see Table SWIT1). On average, each person suffering took an estimated 13.3 days off in that 12 month period.  This equates to an annual loss of 0.12 days per worker.
• The number of days lost per worker in 2007/08 was of a similar order to the two previous years, but statistically significantly lower than in each of 2001/02, 2003/04 and 2005/06 (see Table SWIT1SIG).

Demographic and employment related breakdowns from SWI06/07

Detailed analysis from the 2007/08 Labour Force Survey is not yet available. Therefore for analysis by age, sex, region, occupation, industry and workplace size results from the 2006/07 survey provides the latest data. Full details are available from the 2006/07 main report. Some summary bullet points follow:

In 2006/07:

• The prevalence rate of self-reported work-related upper limb or neck disorders for males was of a similar order to that for females. For both genders, the age-group carrying the highest rate was the oldest working age group (55-64 years for males and 55-59 years for females - see Table ULNAGE1E)
• There were no statistically significant differences between countries in the prevalence rates of self-reported work-related upper limb or neck disorders. However, there were some regional differences, with the South West having a statistically significantly higher prevalence rate than England and the South East having a statistically significantly lower  prevalence rate (see Table ULNGOR1E).
• Construction, health and manufacturing industries carried statistically significantly higher prevalence rates for self-reported work-related upper limb or neck disorders as compared with the average for all industries (see Table ULNIND2_3YR). Certain occupational groups within these industries such as process, plant and machine operatives, skilled construction and building trades and health and social welfare associate have the highest rates (see Table ULNOCC2_3YR)
• Small sized workplaces had a statistically significantly lower prevalence rate than both medium and large (see Table ULNSIZE2)

Other information on work-related upper limb or neck disorders from THOR and IIDB sources is available in main MSD commentary.