29.10.2014

UK fatalities continue to fall

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released figures which show the number of people that sustained fatal injuries whilst at work in Britain has fallen for the second consecutive year.

The data reveals that 133 workers were fatally injured between March 2013 and April 2014, compared with 150 workers the previous year and 172 workers in 2011/12. The overall rate of fatal injury has now dropped to 0.44 per 100,000 workers, below the five-year average of 0.56.

HSE chairman Judith Hackitt said: “These latest figures remind us what health and safety is really about. We should remind ourselves what these numbers actually mean - the number of times in the last year someone went out to work and either did not return home to their loved ones.”

“Britain has one of the best health and safety systems in the world, but that is cold comfort to those who have suffered loss or suffering that is so easily avoided with sensible and proportionate risk management. We all need to commit to focussing on what really matters - ensuring more people return home from work every day and enjoy long and healthy working lives.”

The industry sectors in which employees are most likely to be injured has remained the same with construction accounting for 1,900 major injuries, agriculture 292 major injuries, manufacturing 3,159 major injuries and waste and recycling 486 major injuries.