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Businesses may be overlooking the long-term health of their workforce, despite increasing regulatory emphasis on occupational health risks and prevention, according to new data from employment law, HR and health and safety specialists WorkNest.
The research found that while over half (51 per cent) of organisations say they give equal focus to preventing accidents and managing long-term health risks, in practice very few prioritise health risks alone.
Just two per cent of organisations said their primary focus is managing long-term health risks, compared to 37 per cent who focus mainly on preventing accidents and incidents.
This comes as the Health and Safety Executive continues to place greater emphasis on health risks such as musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory conditions and noise-related hearing loss, which account for a significant proportion of work-related ill health in the UK.
Nick Wilson, Director of Health and Safety services at WorkNest, said: “In many organisations, long-term risks are still not receiving the same level of attention as accidents. Accidents are often more visible and immediate, so naturally attract focus. Whereas long-term health risks develop over time, which makes them easier to overlook. For less physically laborious businesses, such as office-based occupations, musculoskeletal issues and stress, often pose a bigger risk than a slip or trip.”
The research also highlights inconsistencies in how organisations recognise and manage long-term health risks. Eighty-three per cent of respondents said they actively manage musculoskeletal issues such as back pain and repetitive strain and 75 per cent manage work-related stress. However, less than half said they manage exposure to hazardous substances (49 per cent) or noise-related hearing loss (41 per cent), despite these being core areas of focus for the HSE.
Almost one in 10 (nine per cent) of organisations admitted they do not formally recognise or manage long-term health risks at all.
The long-term health risks that are most likely to be overlooked were repetitive strain from daily tasks (35 per cent) followed by musculoskeletal issues such as posture and manual handling (17 per cent).
Wilson added: “These overlooked areas are some of the most common causes of work-related sickness. Taking a proactive approach to identifying and controlling these risks is essential, particularly for SMEs who may not have dedicated health and safety resources.”
