Estimate of deaths by work-related illness

Hilda Palmer of the Hazards campaign has compiled the following approximate estimates of the number of individuals killed by work-related illness and injury each year:

• 18,000 deaths from work-related cancer, estimated at 12% of all cancers (range 8-16%) due to work, including at least 5,000 deaths from asbestos related cancers;

• up to 20,000 deaths from heart disease — 20% of deaths work-related due to dust, stress, long hours and shift work;

• approximately 6,000 deaths from respiratory illness — 15-20% of obstructive lung disease is work-related;

• approximately 6,000 deaths from other work-related diseases, for example neurological diseases

This gives a total of up to 50,000 deaths from occupational disease each year. The TUC uses a minimum estimate of 20,000 deaths.