Health and Safety Executive

Table BACKOCC2 - 2007/08

Estimated prevalence and rates of self-reported musculoskeletal disorders mainly affecting the back caused or made worse by current or most recent job, by occupational major group, for people working in the last 12 months

Occupation description + Major group Illness ascribed to their current/most recent job
Sample cases Estimated prevalence (thousands) Rate per 100 000 employed in the last 12 months
central 95% C.I. central 95% C.I.
lower upper lower upper
Managers and senior officials 1 26 15 9 21 330 200 460
Professional occupations 2 24 13 8 19 350 210 490
Associate professional and technical occupations 3 64 36 27 45 810 610 1010
Administrative and secretarial occupations 4 23 13 8 19 380 220 540
Skilled trades occupations 5 66 37 28 47 1140 860 1420
Personal service occupations 6 42 24 17 32 990 690 1300
Sales and customer service occupations 7 16 * * * * * *
Process, plant and machine operatives 8 35 21 14 27 950 640 1270
Elementary occupations 9 41 23 16 31 630 440 830
All occupations (illness ascribed to the current or most recent job)   337 192 171 212 630 570 700
Other job caused illness#   86 49 39 60 .. .. ..
Total (illness ascribed to any job)   423 241 218 264 800 720 870

Notes:

.. Not applicable

* Sample numbers too small to provide reliable estimates.

+ Details of Standard Occupational Classification (2000)

# Includes those who did not answer the question identifying the job to which their illness was ascribed and those who said their illness was ascribed to a job other than their current or most recent in the last 12 months.

Figures in italics are estimates based on fewer than 30 sample cases.


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Updated 15.09.09