Year in, year out, health & safety should be a priority for businesses everywhere. But what issues were the most reported in 2022?Gavin Scarr Hall, Director of Health & Safety at Peninsula, reflects on the top five most reported health & safety issues of the year and how businesses can avoid them in 2023.

1. Slips, Trips and Falls
These reports nearly always top the HSE statistics as the cause of most non-fatal injuries. 2022 was no different, with nearly 170,000 such incidents recorded. Every workplace needs to pay attention to this trend because there are so many common reasons people slip, trip, or fall at work. Whether it’s wet surfaces, poor lighting, uneven floors or unmanaged cables, the type and severity of injuries can range from inconvenient to life changing.

There are simple, effective actions you can take to reduce the risks of slips and trips – think good housekeeping, proper maintenance of pedestrian traffic routes, and appropriate footwear. A robust reporting system will ensure employees report hazards before they become an accident report.

2. Work-related stress, depression, or anxiety
914,000 workers have suffered from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety this year, with 17.0 million working days lost as a result – this accounts for nearly half of all working days lost in 2022.

Though it’s believed that the effects of coronavirus pandemic were found to be a major contributory factor to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety, employers have a duty of care to protect the mental wellbeing of staff.

The first step is to encourage an open dialogue which can be supported by a specific stress at work policy. Line managers would benefit from training on how to spot the signs before stress develops into something unmanageable and should ensure staff are aware of available support.

3. Musculoskeletal disorders and issues relating to handling, lifting, or carrying
It’s hard to find a sector where workers don’t encounter manual handling in one form or another. Despite often being seen as a low-risk activity, related injuries accounted for 7.3 million working days lost just in the last year.

A manual handling risk assessment alone isn’t enough. The risks of musculoskeletal injury are so context-specific, you need to break down tasks methodically. One of the best tools to use when assessing this is TILE.

• Task: How complex is the operation? Does it require a planned approach, or is it straightforward? Does it involve greater distances, excessive effort, or awkward posture?
• Individual: What are their physical capabilities and limitations? Do they have any injuries, medical conditions or disabilities that affect their ability to lift and carry? What training have they received?
• Load: How heavy is it? Is it stable enough to withstand handling? Are there sharp or slippery edges that make it hard to grasp? Does the shape or size of the item affect your centre of gravity?
• Environment: What conditions are you subject to? Is the area extremely hot or cold, noisy, or poorly lit? Are there space constraints? Are there obstructions on the route? Is the floor slippery or uneven?

Manual handling injuries are often not the result of a single, definable ‘accident’. They build up over time, aggravated by poor technique, inadequate training and a lack of planning or organisation. Monitor habits in the workplace and be consistent when it comes to applying good technique.

4. Being struck by falling objects or caught in moving machinery
Unguarded machinery is incredibly dangerous. Exposed moving parts have the potential to maim and kill people who get caught up in them. Mechanical hazards are so predictable that they are usually part of the operating manual, and safety features are built-in to most modern machinery. These usually take the form of fixed or adjustable guarding.

Guarding blocks off access to the moving parts, thereby preventing contact. This needs to be backed up by safe systems of work, where cleaning or maintenance can only be attempted when the machine is switched off and locked. Some advanced plant and machinery even have motion detectors, so they automatically switch off when someone gets too near for safe operation.

Planning, managing, and monitoring work with machinery keeps everyone safe. Productivity can excel when workers have confidence in the machinery to work safely, and confidence in management to keep it running smoothly.

 5. Falls from height
Falls from height are one of the most common and life-changing accidents that can happen at work. There are about 80 major injuries every year in the UK, and contrary to belief, you don’t have to fall from a great height to be seriously hurt or killed.

That’s why it’s essential to make sure working at height training is suitable and reflects your current safe systems of work and risk assessments.