Workers in Wales top stress survey

The research shows that Welsh employees suffer some of the highest levels of work-related health problems such as repetitive strain injury and back strain.

" Workers in Wales face all the hazards of the modern economy - stress, RSI and back strains - which have created the most disabled workforce in Britain "
Wales TUC General Secretary David Jenkins

But the survey also suggests that Welsh employers are doing the most to tackle health and safety issues in the workplace.

The research is based on feedback from more than 5,000 union safety representatives across the UK, 263 from Wales.

The findings reveal that 57% of workplaces in Wales report problems with overwork and stress, and that 35% of staff in Wales - the highest levels in the UK - report problems with back strain.

Owen Tudor, health and safety officer for the TUC, and the author of the report, told BBC Radio Wales: "I don't think any of these problems are inevitable and one of the positive signs is that Wales came top for employer response.

"Employers are taking action to solve the problem - there is a silver lining.

"These things take time to feed through and it looks as if things are heading in the right direction."

'Hazards'

The survey found that Wales's employers were rated top in the UK for carrying out the key legal requirements in health and safety.

A total of 86% of employers had carried out a risk assessment and union representatives considered 59% of these to be carried out well.

Wales TUC General Secretary David Jenkins said: "Workers in Wales face all the hazards of the modern economy - stress, RSI and back strains - which have created the most disabled workforce in Britain.

"At least employers are now heading in the right direction, and unions are willing to work in partnership to address the concerns and tackle the problems of health and safety in Wales.

"We need to prevent injuries, heal illnesses and get disabled people back to work."