The Government has been urged to help tackle excessive workloads after research showed that both sides of industry are becoming increasingly worried about stress.

Long hours have increased despite regulations two years ago aimed at limiting the working week to 48 hours, it was found.

Union safety representatives and employers both highlighted stress as the country's major workplace hazard.

The Trades Union Congress said it was time for the Government to take the lead in creating a better working environment, starting with its own employees who have a "major" stress problem.

A survey of union officials found that stress was the number one problem, usually caused by heavy workloads, cuts in staff or bullying.

Back strain and repetitive strain injuries were also causes of concern in many workplaces.

A separate study by the Industrial Society found that three out of four employers believed stress would be the main health and safety problem during the next two years.

But despite their concern, only a third of firms monitored workplace stress and even fewer had policies for dealing with the issue.

Fewer than one in ten employers trained managers on health promotion issues.

Pat McGuinness, of the Industrial Society, said: "Employers are aware of stress and its consequences but are still struggling to find ways of identifying and dealing with it."

The TUC called for new rights for victims to win compensation if employers had not assessed risks which led to injury or illness.

General secretary John Monks said: "A modern, 24-hour economy doesn't have to mean long hours.

"We should be working better not longer."