21.04.2008

UK falls from height down

Despite an increase in the total number of fatal injuries to UK workers to 241, latest figures show that 45 people died from a fall from height at work in 2006/07 - a record low.

The number of fatalities in 2005/06 has been confirmed at 48, however falls from height remain the most common kind of accident causing fatal injuries.

Provisional major injury statistics are now available from the HSE for last year. They show an increase in falls major injuries to employees from 3,385 in 2005/06 to 3,409 in 2006/07.

However the injury rates for falls from height continues to decrease when all workers - including the self employed - are taken into account. There were 3,750 major injuries as the result of a fall at work in 2006/07 a decrease of 43 on the previous year.
Falls from ladders resulted in 12 deaths and 1050 major injuries, over a quarter of all major injuries as a result of a fall from height.

Fatal injuries

The total number of fatal injuries to workers for 2006/07 was 241 compared with 217 for 2005/06. Of these, the number of workers fatally injured as a result from falling from a height dropped from 48 in 2005/06 to 45 in 2006/07, a decrease of 6%.

Ladders, roofs and scaffold were the most common products associated with a fatal injury to workers during 2006/07 with 12, 9 and 5 fatalities respectively.

The construction industry accounted for 51% of all fatalities to workers as a result of falling from a height in 2006/07.

Major injuries

Major injuries to employees due to falling from a height accounted for 12% (3,409) of all major injuries in 2006/07.

The number of major injuries to the self-employed from falling from a height in 2006/07p was 341, compared with 408 in 2005/06, a decrease of 16%.

Ladders accounted for the greatest number of major injuries to employees due to high falls (39%) and low falls (29%) in 2006/07.

The construction industry accounted for 32% (1,206) of all major injuries to workers as a result of falling from a height in 2006/07.

In 2006/07 falling from height accounted for 27% of all major injuries to employees in the construction industry, 14% in agriculture, 13% in the extraction and utility supply industries and 9% in manufacturing and services.