Health and Safety Executive

Table BACKOCC2 - 2004/05

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, 2004/05, 2003/04 and 2001/02

Occupation description + Major group Illness ascribed to their current/most recent job
Sample cases Estimated prevalence (thousands) Rate per 100 employed in the last 12 months
central 95% C.I. central 95% C.I.
lower upper lower upper
Managers and senior officials 1 47 24 17 31 0.56 0.40 0.72
Professional occupations 2 31 16 10 22 0.45 0.29 0.61
Associate professional and technical occupations 3 71 39 30 48 0.98 0.75 1.2
Administrative and secretarial occupations 4 20 10 6 15 0.28 0.16 0.40
Skilled trades occupations 5 73 40 30 49 1.2 0.93 1.5
Personal service occupations 6 40 21 14 27 0.92 0.63 1.2
Sales and customer service occupations 7 23 12 7 18 0.51 0.29 0.73
Process, plant and machine operatives 8 37 18 12 24 0.87 0.59 1.1
Elementary occupations 9 46 24 17 31 0.70 0.49 0.90
All occupations   388 205 184 226 0.70 0.63 0.78

Notes:

  • Definitions and data reliability
  • * Sample numbers too small to provide reliable estimates
  • Figures in italics are estimates based on fewer than 30 sample cases
  • + See Appendix 4 in the 'Self-reported work-related illness in 2004/05' (SWI04/05) report for details of Standard Occupational Classification
  • See section 2.7 and Appendix 3.2 in the 'Self-reported work-related illness in 2004/05' (SWI04/05) report for more details on prevalence estimates and rates.
  • The estimates in this table take account of revisions made to the Great Britain population estimates following the 2001 Census.

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Updated 12.05.08