1. “Good workplace
hygiene is...”
http://torkuk.wordpress.com/
... saving your company money

2. The cost of poor workplace hygiene:
7 key facts
#1
European workplaces are subject to
ubiquitous hazards such as inadequate
control measures, insufficient information
when epidemics occur, poorly maintained
air conditioning and moulds.
(Sources for these facts and figures can be found in the final slide)
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

3. #2
In the European Union, 5000 workers die
a year from communicable diseases
acquired in the workplace.
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

4. #3
Work days lost due to infectious
disease in 2007-8 in Great
Britain included 154,000daysfor
men and 104,000daysfor
women.
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

5. #4
Overall loss of output due to
non-injury ill health was
estimated to be between £7.1
and £10.2 billion in Great
Britain in 2004.
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

6. #5
The cost of an outbreak can rapidly
reach six figures or more: analysis of
a large cryptosporidiosis outbreak in
the USA (around 403,000 cases)
revealed an estimated overall loss in
productivity of $64.6 million.
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

7. #6
If a case of infection or an
outbreak is perceived to be
acquired at work, there is a risk of
litigation with associated claims
for compensation. For example, a
large group action brought about
by several victims of an outbreak
can cost millions.
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

8. #7
Serious communicable disease is not just
a problem of the developing world; the
burden of disease from ordinary
indigenous infections is considerable.
England and Wales in particular are
facing new infections.
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

9. The Implication?
Companies cannot afford to be
complacent when it comes to basic
infection prevention measures...
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

10. Facility managers…
What measures are you taking to
ensure good hygiene in your workplace?
Tell us here:
http://torkuk.wordpress.com
In next week’s instalment:
Four crucial steps to ensure good workplace hygiene
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”

11. Sources:
#2 - European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: Expert forecast on
Emerging Biological Risks related to Occupational Safety and Health Expert
forecast on Emerging Biological Risks related to Occupational Safety and Health.
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2007.
ISBN 92-9191-130-5 http://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/reports/7606488
#3 - Health and Safety Executive (Gt Britain). Statistics on days off work and
average days lost per case, 2007-8
http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/lfs/0708/typesex.3.htm
#4 - Health and Safety Executive (Gt Britain). Interim update of the ‘Costs to
Britain of Workplace Accidents and Work Related Ill Health, 2004.
(www.hse.gov.uk)
#5 - Corso PS, Kramer MH, Blair KA, Addiss DG, Davis JP, Haddix AC. Cost of
illness in the 1993 waterborne Cryptosporidium outbreak, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2003; 9(4): 426-431
#7 - Public Health Laboratory Service (England & Wales): Review of
Communicable Diseases England and Wales. London: PHLS CDSC 2002
The full version of this Tork UK Report is available at
http://www.tork.co.uk/media-bank/Publications/Tork-Report/
“Good workplace
hygiene is...”