Discs are circular cushions made up of cartilage, connective soft tissues and a jelly-like inner core. The essential role of discs is to provide buffers between vertebrae in the spine, providing them with protection and stability, while allowing flexibility in the back as a whole. A slipped disc (also known as a herniated, prolapsed or ruptured disc) is a condition where the outer shell has been weakened sufficiently to allow the soft inner core to bulge through. The condition can often go unnoticed initially, as pain will only be experienced when the protuberance touches and presses on the sciatic nerve, and other nerves around the spine. Severe pain may then be felt in the back, and shooting pains in areas of the body controlled by the spinal nerves, such as the legs and arms. Slipped disc injuries normally affect the lumbar region of the lower back, though they may also develop in the upper back and neck. While the vast majority of people make a full recovery from a slipped disc injury, others may sustain irreversible damage to the spine, with a host of life-long consequences.

Slipped disc injuries at work most often affect men aged between 30 and 50 working in jobs involving heavy lifting or repetitive movements that strain the back. Other contributory factors to slipped disc injures include smoking, obesity, and progressive weakness in the discs due to advancing age. Any intense pressure exerted on the spine may cause a disc to rupture, especially where the pressure is uneven or the spine is in a contorted position. A prime example of this would be lifting a heavy weight in the workplace while simultaneously twisting the body to deposit the load. Bending while lifting is also potentially dangerous, as gaps open up in the vertebrae and discs may be squeezed causing them to rupture. Those whose working conditions are mostly sedentary, such as long distance drivers and computer programmers also face a higher than average risk of sustaining a slipped disc. The hunched posture that such workers are forced to adopt for lengthy periods of time forces the spine into a state of prolonged contortion. Vibrations from vehicle engines may also contribute to the strain being placed on the spine.

Slipped discs may develop from one traumatic event, or from a gradual deterioration in the discs over time. Apart from lifting heavy weights and performing repetitive tasks, falls from heights, slips, trips and vibrations from work equipment may also cause a disc to rupture. The most important responsibility of employers is to avoid manual lifting at work except where it is strictly necessary. When this is the case a task should be risk assessed, especially to ensure an individual worker does not exceed the legal limit for lifting weights, and training in safe lifting techniques must be provided. The ergonomics of work stations should also be considered by management to ensure that staff maintain a healthy posture while seated. They should also be allowed regular breaks; at least every hour in the case of computer-based workers. Employers have a duty of care to eliminate risks which may cause injuries to their employees as far as reasonably possible. Where a slipped disc has been caused by working conditions, through no fault of the injured person, a compensation claim may be brought against the employer.

A slipped disc can be an intensely painful injury, and one involving loss of mobility and a lengthy spell of time off work. In the most severe cases, damage to the spine may lead to ongoing muscle spasms, the onset of paralysis in affected limbs, and side-effects including loss of bladder control. The highest compensation awards will reflect long-term loss of earnings, the severity of an injury, and the extent of the disability it has caused. A slipped disc requiring laminectomy (a spinal operation to remove a portion of the vertebral bone), or resulting in repeated relapses will generally lead to awards of between 8,000 and 17,750. Where a full recovery (or recovery to ‘nuisance level’) from a slipped disc is made within 5 years, compensation awards will range between 5,000 and 8,000, while recovery within 2 years will lead to awards of up to 5,000.

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