07/06/2023
The cost of accidents to Irish society is €3.6 billion each year. Lower back pain affects approximately 80 percent of the population at some stage in life. Healthcare costs and the cost of sick leave and early retirement because of back pain are estimated at €800 million. On average, 7000 non-fatal work injuries are reported each year to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), 27 percent of which account for handling, lifting or carrying loads.
There is a financial cost associated with all accidents, including hidden costs, which can be broken into:
- Injured costs: Injury, illness and damage
- Uninsured costs: Product and material damage, plant and building damage, tool and equipment damage, legal costs, expenditure on emergency supplies, cost of clearing site, production delays, overtime and temporary labour, investigation time, supervisors time diverted, clerical effort, fines, and loss of experience/expertise.
