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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently unveiled a new report on occupational cancers which states that night shifts cause breast cancer in nearly 2,000 women in the UK. It also makes up over 50 per cent of all registered work-related cancer cases in British working women.

The report, the first to quantify occupational cancers specifically for the UK, also reveals that the disease proves fatal in over 550 women. The report ranks shift work third in the top ten reasons that account for the most number of cancer deaths; it holds second spot for cancer registrations

According to Prof. Andrew Watterson, head of occupational environmental health research at Stirling University, the report could help cancer sufferers win compensation claims more easily in courts.

The report mentions Denmark’s recent decision to include breast cancer in the list of occupational diseases, a move that will make it easier for sufferers to claim compensation. The reports adds that the ramifications of Denmark’s decision and the findings of the HSE study could be significant in the light of the large number of women in the UK who work in night shifts.

However, Audrey Birt, director of Breakthrough Breast Cancer in Scotland, believes that there is need for further study in this matter. The HSE study used data gathered from various sources while ignoring other factors that could have contributed to the development of breast cancer in women.

The integration of good health and safety management systems is an essential principle of any business. IOSH training courses, accredited by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, from Workplace Law are designed to give managers and supervisors all they need to know to help their organisation find the best ways to lead and promote health and safety.