Depression Causes Accidents at Work

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses which affects more people than you might think. And new research suggests that depression can affect individual and collective safety at work.

Those with depression are more likely to take days off, feeling that cloud of gloom form, making them feel that it is impossible to get out of bed. With absenteeism, accidents increase, as workplaces are understaffed or draft in less qualified replacements.

And those who do venture into work while suffering from depression could be placing themselves and other workers at risk through decreased attentiveness resulting in an increase of accidents at work.

This is a pressing problem as the National Institute of Mental Health has released figures which show that in a 12 month period , over six per cent of employed individuals reported suffering from a major depressive disorder.

And that figure is even higher when removing the year long time span. As many as sixteen per cent of employed individuals will suffer from depression at some point during their lives.

The cost of depression on productivity, medical care and increased accidents, reaches into the billions.

The problem is that many workers are loathe to admit that they are suffering from depression due to the social stigma attached to the illness.

Many will go into work anyway and work at a poor standard, causing distress to themselves and costing their employer.

The World Health Organisation says that depression is the number two cause of disability in the world.

Carys is an author of several articles pertaining to No Win No Fee, Compensation Claims, Personal Injury Claims and other legal articles.