Cost of work-related illness tops SFr12 billion

Heart disease affects workers more than managers Keystone Archive

Swiss employers are failing to take seriously work-related illnesses despite the huge cost to the economy, according to a new study.

The study, based on international research data, overturns a common view that managers are worse affected by work-related illnesses, such as heart disease, than employees lower down in the pecking order.

Indeed, those at the bottom of the hierarchy tend to suffer most from occupational health problems, according to the doctor who led the study, Elisabeth Conne-Perréard.

“On the psychosocial side, they have little autonomy and they are under pressure, and must often perform repetitive tasks,” said Conne-Perréard. “They are also often exposed to carcinogenic products, to noise, and also to dust, for instance.

“Concerning cardio-vascular disease, many people believe that managers suffer more often from heart problems, but statistically they actually suffer from this less than workers.”

Shift work unhealthy

A particularly vulnerable group is shift workers, who account for 24 per cent of the Swiss workforce. The study found that they suffer from a higher incidence of heart disease, as well as digestion, sleep and mental disorders, than employees who work regular hours.

One estimate suggests that the incidence of heart disease could be reduced by seven per cent if shift work was abandoned.

“It would be impossible to eliminate shift work,” said Jean Parrat, one of the study’s authors and a labour inspector from canton Jura. “We need to encourage preventive measures to make people aware of the problems.”

Switzerland has the legal framework to deal with most occupational health problems, but so far has failed to implement any kind of measures, says Conne-Perréard.

“Nearly all the resources have always been devoted to job safety and accident prevention. People did not feel concerned about these issues, so we have to raise awareness among employers about these problems.

“They have to understand that it is in their economic interest to invest in the health of their workers, to cut down on absenteeism, loss of production and the general cost of health insurance,” she told swissinfo.

Economic cost

The authors of the study estimate that sick workers cost the economy approximately three per cent of the gross domestic product, or SFr12 billion ($7.21 billion) a year.

This initial study is considered a first step towards greater public awareness about occupational health. The authors hope it will also lead to domestic research on these issues.

“We have started a lobbying campaign, and not just among occupational health specialists but also among those working in public health, said Conne-Perréard. “The people we have talked to are convinced that the information we have from other countries is enough to take this issue into the political arena.

“We are professionals working in the field of occupational health. We are witnesses to workers’ suffering and health problems, so we want to people to know what is going on and provoke a debate.”

The study was based on international research because there is insufficient data available in Switzerland.

by Scott Capper