Over 300 of the claims came from people in the construction industry

OVER 22,400 working days were lost in the Island last year because of claims for work-related accidents or ill-health.

In all 1,012 claims were submitted to Social Security from workers claiming benefit for medically certified illness caused during the course of their employment – 38 more than in 2007.

The annual report compiled by the Health and Safety Inspectorate shows that over 300 (30%) of the claims came from people in the construction industry and 166 (16%) from workers in the public sector.

A further 128 claims (13%) were submitted from the wholesale and retail industry and eight per cent came from the transport and storage sector. Agriculture, hotels and restaurants, and health and social work claimants totalled six per cent each. Of the total claims nearly 700 were due to accidents.

Of the 312 claims made for ill-health nearly 50% were caused by occupational musculoskeletal disorders and 42% were stress-related.