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• Causes of injury and illnesses

Causes of injury and illnesses

Lost time injuries and illnesses

Slips/trips/falls, motor vehicle accidents and over-exertions/strains were the main causes of injuries resulting in lost time.

Mental illness, musculoskeletal illness (primarily repetitive strain injury) and infections were the main causes of illnesses resulting in lost time. There were two outbreaks of infection (caused by food poisoning at onsite catered events), resulting in 22 cases of food borne illnesses that resulted in lost time.

The causes of lost calendar days were very similar.

Slips/trips/falls	27.7
Motor vehicle accidents	21.8
Overexertions/strains	20.4
Striking against/struck	12.7
Caught in/on/between	6.9
Thermal/chemical	4.0
Contact with sharps	3.5
Other	2.9

Mental health	33.0
Musculoskeletal	30.8
Infection	24.2
Non-allergic respiratory	5.5
Non allergic dermal	2.2
Systemic	2.2
Other	2.2

Reportable injuries and illnesses without lost time
Overexertions/strains, slips/trips/falls and contact with sharps were the main causes of reportable injuries without lost time.

Musculoskeletal illness was the main type of reportable illness without lost time, accounting for 31% of the total. This is followed by infection at 19%.

Overexertions/strains	26.7
Slips/trips/falls	19.8
Contact with sharps	12.8
Motor vehicle accidents	11.2
Striking against/struck	10.0
Caught in/on/between	7.7
Thermal/chemical	5.3
Animal insect	3.3
Other	3.3

Musculoskeletal	31.1
Infection	18.9
Non-allergic dermal	15.5
Physical	13.0
Allergic dermal	8.5
Allergic respiratory	5.1
Non allergic respiratory	3.4
Mental health	2.5
Other	2.0

Contractors working on GSK sites (not directly supervised by GSK employees)
Here we report health and safety data for construction contractors or contract companies (e.g. those providing catering and landscaping services) who work on GSK sites but supervise and direct their own staff. The data for contract workers who are directly supervised by GSK employees are included in the data for GSK employees.

In 2004 there were 83 lost time injuries and illnesses (a rate of 0.40 per 100,000 hours worked). There were also 1,351 calendar days lost (a rate of 2.00 per 100,000 hours worked) and 412 reportable injuries and illnesses without lost time (a rate of 6.55 per 100,000 hours worked). This data is not included in the verification by ERM.

These rates are higher than those for GSK employees. Contract companies are responsible for supervising their own employees and also for providing them with safety training.

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