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A trade union has called for improvements in occupational health from employers, it has been reported.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) urged UK employers to provide staff with better assistance after it found that 175 million working days had been lost due to sickness in 2006.

A new educational workbook called Occupational Health: Dealing with the issues, was published by the union to coincide with its national workers' memorial day today (April 28th).

TUC research has found that absence due to sickness cost organisations £650 per employee last year.

It aims to train 15,000 workplace safety reps with the new book, in the hope that they can use the guide to assess the extent of ill health in their workplace and to work with employers to find solutions.

Brendan Barber, the TUC's general secretary, said he believes the UK is facing an "epidemic" of occupational ill health.

"Many people are ill and in pain as a result of lifting injuries, slips and trips, stress and noise-induced hearing loss suffered either at, or caused by, their work," he added.

This could be good news for students who work part-time to support their studies as the TUC is urging employers to take steps to look after them.

Meanwhile, Channel 4 News reports that a series of events will be held across the country to mark Workers Memorial Day, including a demonstration outside parliament to highlight the "growing problem" of attacks on minicab drivers.

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