The theme of the 2007 European Week for Safety and Health at Work will be 'Lighten the Load'.

The Week will run from 22 to 26 October, and will focus on taking the "pain" out of work. Bad backs, sore shoulders and wrists can all result from not working correctly. This is a big problem affecting one million people in the UK every year.

During the week employers, employees, safety representatives and occupational health practitioners will be encouraged to consider taking a three pronged approach to preventing and treating these painful conditions.

Firstly, prevent them happening in the first place by changing how we work; secondly, intervene at an early stage with support such as physiotherapy to keep people at work; and thirdly, actively work at rehabilitating those who have left work to get back into employment.

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HSENI Chairman Peter McKie, said: "This year's European wide campaign follows on from the very successful BACKS NI initiative undertaken by HSENI last year in partnership with the District Councils. A useful action pack for the Week has been produced. This contains helpful information on tackling these conditions which are the most common cause of work-related ill health in both the UK and across Europe.

“While HSENI will be working specifically with the care and nursing home sector during the Week, I would encourage all parts of the business community to participate in the Week and help us 'Lighten the Load'."

European Week Action Packs are available by contacting HSENI’s One-2One Helpline on: 0800 0320 121, or it can be downloaded from the HSENI’s website on: www.hseni.gov.uk.

(JM)