Firms paid out £305 million in compensation in 2001 because of accidents at work.
Employers who had shown "scant regard" for the health and safety of their staff have wasted £3 billion over the past decade meeting the cost of accidents at work, according to research by the TUC.
More than 53,000 new legal cases were taken by unions in 2001, an increase of 3 per cent on the previous year, with claims for stress continuing to be a major issue.
About 2,500 stress cases were started.
Monday April 14 2003
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