Workplace Injury: A Significant Corporate Pain
In its report entitled Low Back Pain (Full Guideline May 2009), the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) estimates that
“low back pain (alone) probably affects around one-third of the UK adult population each year”.
The most recent study on the cost of illness (Maniadakis N, Gray A. The economic burden of back pain in the UK. Pain. 2000) uses 1998 data to estimate that the healthcare costs due to back pain exceeded £1.6 billion, and project the indirect cost involving lost production somewhere between £3.4 and £9 billion. Factoring in inflation and a deteriorated economic climate, the current costs are probably higher.
Spiralling corporate costs include:
- Cost of absenteeism and loss of productivity
- Private health insurance as part of benefits package
- Temporary headcount replacement
- Back to work schemes
- Ergonomic assessments and office equipment upgrades
- Potential costs and stress of litigation
An effective policy of workplace injury prevention is not a luxury: by helping maintain a stable, healthy team at work, it is a key component of business success.
Service Benefits to the Employer
Our in-company training programmes, ergonomic assessments and pain diagnostic clinics aim to help companies…
- Identify and treat instances of work-related pain before they result in injuries and related absenteeism and costs
- Reduce health insurance claims and premiums
- Reduce costs of recruitment or temporary cover
- Potentially increase productivity and performance through a healthier and more stable workforce
- Develop a reputation in the labour market as a leading employer that attracts the best candidates
Service Benefits to the Employee
Our education programs and osteopathic healthcare services help employees…
- Understand how postural and repetitive strain injuries occur, and implement routine practical measures to pre-empt them
- Relieve existing back, neck and shoulder discomfort or pain before they escalate into injuries
- Stimulate their immune and circulatory system, reducing the overall incidence of sickness
- Maintain higher levels of focus and energy at work
- Avoid days off sick and potential loss of earnings
- Access discounted private treatment where health insurance does not cover/is not used
