Today is Workers Memorial Day; a time to commemorate the thousands of people who have lost their lives, been made ill, disabled or seriously injured through their work.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that every year, approximately 12,000 are killed as a result of work-related diseases. The leading cause of death is occupational exposure to asbestos however tragically workers are also killed as a result of occupational cancer, injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and other illnesses including asthma.
Every year, an estimated 8,000 deaths are caused by occupational cancer, with men three times more likely to be affected than women, according to the HSE. Mesothelioma and lung cancer are the most common forms of cancer leading to death and approximately 2291 lives were lost to mesothelioma in 2011, with this number still expected to rise. It is thought that that the number of cases of mesothelioma will peak towards the end of the decade, as the disease can take many years to develop after the initial exposure. Tragically, work-related respiratory diseases are also a big killer, with approximately 4,000 COPD deaths recorded every year as a result of past exposure to gases, dusts and fumes at work.
Gavin Moat, Industrial Disease Solicitor at Russell Worth solicitors, said of the initiative: “Workers Memorial Day is a time to honour those killed, injured or made ill through their work. Every year, thousands of people working in industries such as agriculture, construction and manufacturing suffer just by doing their job – we work to help them and their families achieve justice.
“It is vitally important to raise awareness of the risks present in work places not just today but every day. The figures above make for harrowing reading – health and safety needs to be a top priority for employers to ensure that workers aren’t being put at risk.”
For more information on Workers Memorial Day, visit the official website here.