Health and Safety Executive

Table SWIT1 - 2008/09

Estimated days (full-day equivalent) off work and associated average days lost per (full-time equivalent) worker and per case due to a self-reported work-related illness or workplace injury

Type of complaint Sample cases$ Days lost (thousands) Average days lost per worker Average days lost per case+
central 95% C.I. central 95% C.I. central 95% C.I.
lower upper lower upper lower upper
All illnesses 1173 24612 21985 27240 1.04 0.93 1.15 20.8 18.8 22.8
  Musculoskeletal disorders 492 9255 7659 10851 0.39 0.32 0.46 17.2 14.5 20.0
    mainly affecting the upper limbs or neck 175 3753 2755 4751 0.16 0.12 0.20 17.5 13.2 21.8
    mainly affecting the lower limbs 93 1994 1269 2720 0.084 0.054 0.12 20.8 14.0 27.6
    mainly affecting the back 224 3508 2495 4521 0.15 0.11 0.19 15.5 11.3 19.6
  Breathing or lung problems 37 658 183 1133 0.028 0.0077 0.048 17.0 5.5 28.6
  Skin problems 14 * * * * * * * * *
  Hearing problems 6 * * * * * * * * *
  Stress, depression or anxiety 452 11420 9594 13246 0.48 0.41 0.56 27.5 23.6 31.4
  Headache and/or eyestrain 18 * * * * * * * * *
  Heart disease/attacks, other circulatory system 24 722 285 1158 0.031 0.012 0.049 37.7 19.3 56.0
  Infectious disease (virus, bacteria) 46 390 100 680 0.017 0.0043 0.029 12.0 3.8 20.1
  Other types of complaint 82 1894 1175 2614 0.080 0.050 0.11 24.1 15.9 32.2
  Missing illness type 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
All injuries 695 4711 3941 5481 0.20 0.17 0.23 6.5 5.5 7.5
All illnesses and injuries 1820 29324 26600 32100 1.24 1.13 1.36 15.9 14.5 17.3

Notes:

$ For people taking time off work

.. Not applicable

* Sample cases too small to provide reliable estimates.

+ "case" refers to persons suffering from a workplace injury or a particular type of work-related illness.

95% C.I.: 95% confidence interval, the range within which we are 95% confident that the true value lies in the absence of bias.

Figures in italics are based on fewer than 40 sample cases.

Sample numbers for 'All illnesses' and 'All injuries' do not sum to the total for 'All illnesses and injuries' as some cases reported a work-related illness and a workplace injury.

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Updated 21.10.09