The biggest safety concerns to workers are stress, repetitive strain injuries, slips and trips and illnesses caused by working at computer, a survey shows.

It was revealed three in five workers said stress or overwork is a concern in their workplace, according to a survey by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Stress is a big concern for those in the public sector with 81 per cent in central government, 74 per cent in education and 69 per cent in health services saying they are worried.

Martin Mansfield, Wales TUC general secretary, said stress casts a gloomy shadow over far too many UK workplaces, especially in the current financial climate.

"Unions and employers must work together to combat this as it can have a huge personal cost to workers and a damaging financial cost to businesses," he added.

The second biggest concern is repetitive strain injuries with 43 per cent saying this worried them and 39 per cent are concerned by trips and falls at work.

In recent news, the Law Society said stress needs to be addressed because it does not just affect an individual, it can also impact on a business.