Health and Safety Executive

Table SWIT1 - 2006/07

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 1475 29963 27155 32771 1.30 1.18 1.42 21.6 19.8 23.5
  Musculoskeletal disorders 604 10715 8973 12457 0.46 0.39 0.54 16.7 14.1 19.2
    mainly affecting the upper limbs or neck 187 3515 2616 4414 0.15 0.11 0.19 13.4 10.2 16.6
    mainly affecting the lower limbs 109 2493 1542 3444 0.11 0.067 0.15 24.8 16.1 33.6
    mainly affecting the back 308 4707 3565 5848 0.20 0.15 0.25 16.8 13.0 20.6
  Breathing or lung problems 52 770 400 1140 0.033 0.017 0.049 17.1 9.9 24.4
  Skin problems 17 * * * * * * * * *
  Hearing problems 13 * * * * * * * * *
  Stress, depression or anxiety 540 13760 11887 15633 0.60 0.51 0.68 30.2 26.6 33.8
  Headache and/or eyestrain 33 351 11 690 0.015 0.00049 0.030 13.0 1.0 24.9
  Heart disease/attacks, other circulatory system 24 853 362 1343 0.037 0.016 0.058 38.0 20.2 55.9
  Infectious disease (virus, bacteria) 59 575 261 889 0.025 0.011 0.038 14.4 7.4 21.5
  Other types of complaint 131 2566 1730 3402 0.11 0.075 0.15 25.1 17.8 32.5
  Missing illness type 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
All injuries 893 5773 4838 6708 0.25 0.21 0.29 6.8 5.7 7.8
All illnesses and injuries 2283 35736 32750 38723 1.55 1.42 1.68 16.8 15.5 18.1

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.


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Updated 15.10.09