Work related stress

The problem

Statistics released by HSE highlighted that more than 11 million working days were lost to work-related stress in all industries in 2008, costing businesses an estimated £4 billion. Consequently HSE urges employers to take positive steps to prevent work-related stress by using its Management Standards[38].

No data is available for the prevalence of work-related stress in the food and drink manufacturing industries. However work related stress is often cited as a cause of mental ill health. Mental ill health accounts for around 30% of cases of occupational ill health in food and drink manufacture and was the third highest incidence rate (out of seven categories) reported in some large companies by the Food Industry Medical Association (2005).

Causes of work related stress

  • Stress is a significant occupational health risk. There is a clear link between poor organisation and subsequent ill health.
  • Pressure in itself is not necessarily bad and many people thrive on it. It is when pressure experienced by an individual exceeds their ability to cope with it that ill health problems can result.
  • Work related stress caused by excessive work demands, lack of control over work etc. is often cited as a cause of mental ill health.

Further guidance

 

Work related stress - together we can tackle it[39]

Link URLs in this page

  1. Food & drink manufacturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/index.htm
  2. Common risks - in food and drink manufacturing industrieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/industries.htm
  3. Meat, poultry and fishhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/slaughter.htm
  4. Milling, animal feedshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/grain.htm
  5. Bakery productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/bakery.htm
  6. Dairy productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/dairy.htm
  7. Fruit and vegetableshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/fruitveg.htm
  8. Alcoholic and soft drinkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/drink.htm
  9. Chilled and frozen products https://www.hse.gov.uk/food/chilled.htm
  10. Supply chainhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/chain.htm
  11. Safety risks overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/safety-hazards.htm
  12. Manual handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/handling.htm
  13. Slips on wet or contaminated floorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/slips.htm
  14. Falls from heighthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/falls.htm
  15. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/transport.htm
  16. Struck by somethinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/struckby.htm
  17. Overview - Food processing machineryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/machinery.htm
  18. European CEN 'C' Standards for food processing machineshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/standards.htm
  19. Packaging machineryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/package.htm
  20. Overview - Prevention of dust explosionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/dustexplosion.htm
  21. Selection and use of vacuum cleanershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/dustexplosionapp1.htm
  22. Explosion relief for small bins and siloshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/dustexplosionapp2.htm
  23. Overview - Occupational health topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/healthtopics.htm
  24. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)https://www.hse.gov.uk/food/musculoskeletal.htm
  25. Dermatitishttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/dermatitis.htm
  26. Noise induced hearing losshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/noise.htm
  27. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/asthma.htm
  28. Low dust flourhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/low-flour-dust.htm
  29. Exposure to disinfectantshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/disinfectants.htm
  30. Work-related stresshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/stress.htm
  31. Overview - Occupational rehabilitationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/rehabilitation/index.htm
  32. OH Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/rehabilitation/casestudies.htm
  33. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/information.htm
  34. Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/experience.htm
  35. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/links.htm
  36. Food and Drink Manufacture Health and Safety Forumhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/forum.htm
  37. Topics of interesthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/food/live.htm
  38. Management Standardshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/index.htm
  39. Work related stress - together we can tackle ithttps://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm
  40. Reducing stress at work - a guide for employees https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg424.pdf
  41. Stress case studies https://www.hse.gov.uk/food/experience.htm
  42. Work related stress - together we can tackle ithttps://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm
  43. Stress management standardshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/index.htm

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Updated 2023-06-15