Health and Safety Executive

Table THORM04

Work-related upper limb disorders: estimated number of cases reported by rheumatologists to MOSS and by occupational physicians to OPRA and estimated rates per 100 000 workers per year, by occupation 2006-2008

Occupation(a) SOC2000 Rheumatologists (MOSS)(p) Occupational physicians (OPRA)(b)(p)
Major group Unit group Annual average estimated cases(c) 2006-2008 Rate per 100 000 workers per year(d) Annual average estimated cases(c) 2006-2008 Rate per 100 000 workers per year(d)
Managers and Senior Officials 1   40 1 19 -
Professional Occupations 2   64 2 54 1
Biological scientists and biochemists   2112 4 5 25 31
Associate Professional and Technical Occupations 3   118 3 249 6
Laboratory technicians   3111 4 7 14 23
Nurses   3211 21 4 28 6
Police officers (sergeant and below)   3312 8 5 22 14
Adminstrative and Secretarial Occupations 4   183 5 166 5
Civil Service administrative officers and assistants   4112 27 14 1 1
Local government clerical officers and assistants   4113 5 3 23 12
Filing and other records assistants/clerks   4131 16 11 7 5
Database assistants/clerks   4136 13 19 17 25
General office assistants/clerks   4150 28 4 42 6
Personal assistants and other secretaries   4215 31 10 26 9
Skilled Trades Occupations 5   258 8 290 9
Gardeners and groundsmen/groundswomen   5113 12 8 18 13
Welding trades   5215 9 13 24 34
Metal working production and maintenance fitters   5223 9 4 36 17
Motor mechanics, auto engineers   5231 19 10 25 13
Electricians, electrical fitters   5241 11 5 19 9
Bricklayers, masons   5312 9 12 2 3
Plumbers, heating and ventilating engineers   5314 16 10 6 4
Carpenters and joiners   5315 26 12 28 13
Construction trades n.e.c.   5319 19 11 1 1
Chefs, cooks   5434 42 18 1 -
Glass and ceramics maker   5491 - - 5 44
Personal Service Occupations 6   58 2 91 4
Nursing auxiliaries and assistants   6111 - - 19 9
Ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)   6112 - - 18 111
Care assistants and home carers   6115 14 2 52 8
Hairdressers, barbers   6221 21 15 - -
Sales and Customer Service Occupations 7   43 2 39 2
Retail cashiers and check-out operators   7112 28 2 17 1
Process, Plant and Machine Operatives 8   220 11 313 15
Food, drink and tobacco process operatives   8111 16 11 28 19
Chemical and related process operatives   8114 4 10 25 60
Metal working machine operatives   8125 21 28 16 21
Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)   8132 67 143 31 66
Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c.   8139 5 10 26 51
Road construction operatives   8142 9 37 66 273
Heavy goods vehicle drivers   8211 5 2 13 4
Elementary Occupations 9   140 4 190 6
Labourers in building and woodworking trades   9121 25 14 14 8
Packers, bottlers, canners, fillers   9134 9 7 16 13
Labourers in process and plant operations n.e.c.   9139 8 10 23 30
Other goods handling and storage occupations n.e.c.   9149 18 5 35 10
Cleaners, domestics   9233 29 5 31 5
All occupations     1224 4 1416 5

Notes

  • (a) All SOC2000 Major Groups are shown, as are SOC2000 Unit Groups with 10 or more actual cases reported to either MOSS or OPRA over the period 2006-2008. Figures are shown in light type if they are based on fewer than 10 actual cases.
  • (b) Comparisons of rates based on OPRA reports are likely to be misleading because workers in some occupations are much more likely to have access to occupational physicians than those in others.
  • (c) Some physicians report on a sample basis, for one month in each year. Estimated totals for these are calculated by multiplying the actual number of cases reported by 12.
  • (d) The rates have been calculated using the average of the Office for National Statistics Annual Population Survey (APS) denominators for the years 2004-2006.
  • "-" Can mean zero or rounds to zero.
  • nec Not elsewhere classified.
  • (p) Provisional.

Quick links

Ask an expert 0845 345 0055

Health and Safety Executive
Caerphilly Business Park
Caerphilly CF83 3GG

Directgov - Business Link

Updated 09.09.09