Nearly 12 million people have been harmed or made ill at their place of work in the past year.

According to research from insurance firm RSA, 36 million working days were lost over the past 12 months as a result of workplace acquired injuries and illnesses.

The most common problems were back pain, stress and anxiety, with more than half of the 2,000 staff surveyed suffering from these complaints.

Other ailments included breathing problems and musculoskeletal disorders.

More than half (54%) of those injured at work went on to sue their employers, with 33% taking issues to trade unions and 14% complaining to line managers.

Nearly one in five (17%) of staff injured or made ill had to take between one and six months off work to recover.

RSA also found that 200,000 employees were forced to leave work permanently as a result of illness and injuries acquired at work.

Colin Bradbury, underwriting director at RSA, said: “These figures show a significant number of injuries and illnesses are being incurred in the workplace.

"If there are team members missing or unable to take part in decisions, this can only have a negative effect on the business and involve the company in significant costs.

“This highlights the importance of risk management in safeguarding employees’ health and ensuring a productive workplace.”