The UK Construction Industry Needs to Step Up on Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders
Construction Health and Wellbeing LTD
Changing the future of construction through evidence based health and wellbeing solutions #happierhealthierconstruction
Let’s talk about manual handling in the construction industry. It’s a basic part of the job, but it comes with serious health risks that need urgent attention.
Despite efforts to improve things with better design and new equipment, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are still alarmingly common.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported in 2023 that 53% of all work-related ill health days in construction are due to MSDs. That’s over half of the sick days lost, showing just how big this problem is and how much we need effective solutions to protect workers.
The economic impact is just as concerning. According to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in 2018, occupational ill-health costs UK construction employers about ￡848 million every year. And get this: 76% of that cost is due to MSDs. That’s around ￡12,000 for each case, covering everything from treatment and compensation to lost productivity and hiring temporary staff.
These numbers make it clear that MSDs are not just a health issue but also a huge financial burden on the industry.
The construction industry has made great progress in focusing on health issues, especially mental health. But now it’s time to give musculoskeletal health the same attention. We need strong strategies to prevent and manage MSDs effectively.
One way to tackle this is by adopting innovative technologies and practices. For example, the recent collaboration between GKR Scaffolding and Soter shows how AI and advanced solutions can significantly improve worker safety and health. Find out more by watching our webinar HERE and downloading our checklist HERE.
In short, the UK construction industry has to do more to address musculoskeletal disorders.
A healthier, happier workforce is not just good for the workers—it’s essential for the future of the industry. Let’s make it happen.
Great read on the urgent need for improved health measures in the UK construction industry! If you’re experiencing back and shoulder pain due to the physical demands of construction work, you might want to check out The Ironback. It’s designed to address these common issues by providing targeted support and improving posture, which can help alleviate discomfort on the job. For more insights on how to enhance well-being in the construction industry and to see how Ironback can make a difference, take a look at our article here: https://bit.ly/TheHiddenCostOfPoorPosture It highlights how effective support solutions can play a role in tackling musculoskeletal disorders. Wishing you better health and comfort in your work!
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4 个月1 pound of extra bodyweight is upto 4 pounds of excess pressure on the spine. Roughly 25% of people in the uk are classed as obese and 38% are classed as overweight. This is typically based off of BMI which is a potentially floored metric. However, I would love to see stats of people suffering MSD’s compared to their bodyweight. This isn’t about fat shaming either, but we should consider lifestyle and actually being fit to work, not trying to find the solution where we do nothing for ourselves. Otherwise we’ll end up like the people in Wall E.
Owner & Managing Director at AKT Productions
4 个月One third of the UK population have a musculoskeletal condition, accounting for over 30 million lost working days every year. These are frightening figures, and if we don’t address them soon they will only get worse. https://www.england.nhs.uk/elective-care-transformation/best-practice-solutions/musculoskeletal/
Head of Health, Safety & Wellbeing at McLaren Construction Group
4 个月More needs to be done to design out the issue not leave it until the delivery phase to solve the issue
Helping Safety Professionals go Digital.
4 个月I'm interested to know Jennie Armstrong are these injuries roughly consistent each year or is there a trend for the better/worse? Certainly, with the money that's on the table in potential savings if the industry can improve, I'd think it'd be simple to involve the stakeholders. I guess part of the problem is that MSDs accumulate over different employers, over a career. Whereas a Safety incident/injury occurs on your watch. Making it important to find across industry solutions.