Many people in the UK are still affected by industrial diseases each year. A lot is done to improve guidelines so that people are better protected in the workplace, and this has lead to a constant reduction of worker deaths and injuries over the last decade. But not all guidelines are followed, and not all areas of concern are easily avoidable. Here are the most common diseases stemming from the workplace.
Sadly, despite the efforts to contain it and remove it, asbestos continues to be a primary cause of worker illness. Around three thousand people die each year from asbestos, most of these from lung caner or 'mesothelioma'. Asbestos was once thought to be a wonder material. It's fire proof, soft and flexible, and it occurs naturally, which means it could be mined. What no one realised was that its fibres, once inhaled, seriously damage the inside of the lungs. They're also carcinogenic, meaning that once the lungs have been scratched, caner begins to grow. Another worker's respiratory disease is asthma, brought about by working in dusty environments. A leading area that causes this is grain refineries.
Another issue that causes a disease in the UK is vibrating machinery and vehicles, leading to people developing nerve problems. Vibration of the body, or vibration of the hand and arm can lead to people becoming debilitated and suffering from constant pain. It's hard to prevent against, and many cases are reported each year.
Another common disease is vibration of the hand. This is caused by workers using heavy machinery for long periods. It shakes up nerves and damages them so badly that people begin to lose feeling it their limbs and their skin 'blanches,' meaning it turns white and blotchy. This can extend to the entire body, and is also potentially very painful. It's a common problem for builders and machinery operators.
It might surprise people that even with all of the deafness countermeasures in place today, and all the regulations about noise in the workplace, almost two hundred thousand people in the UK are deaf due to incidents at work. This demonstrates that there are always more things to be done when it comes to health and safety.
Sadly, despite the efforts to contain it and remove it, asbestos continues to be a primary cause of worker illness. Around three thousand people die each year from asbestos, most of these from lung caner or 'mesothelioma'. Asbestos was once thought to be a wonder material. It's fire proof, soft and flexible, and it occurs naturally, which means it could be mined. What no one realised was that its fibres, once inhaled, seriously damage the inside of the lungs. They're also carcinogenic, meaning that once the lungs have been scratched, caner begins to grow. Another worker's respiratory disease is asthma, brought about by working in dusty environments. A leading area that causes this is grain refineries.
Another issue that causes a disease in the UK is vibrating machinery and vehicles, leading to people developing nerve problems. Vibration of the body, or vibration of the hand and arm can lead to people becoming debilitated and suffering from constant pain. It's hard to prevent against, and many cases are reported each year.
Another common disease is vibration of the hand. This is caused by workers using heavy machinery for long periods. It shakes up nerves and damages them so badly that people begin to lose feeling it their limbs and their skin 'blanches,' meaning it turns white and blotchy. This can extend to the entire body, and is also potentially very painful. It's a common problem for builders and machinery operators.
It might surprise people that even with all of the deafness countermeasures in place today, and all the regulations about noise in the workplace, almost two hundred thousand people in the UK are deaf due to incidents at work. This demonstrates that there are always more things to be done when it comes to health and safety.
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