Reduction in work-related injuries masks worrying trend, SAYS BSIF
February 11th 2009 New statistics published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveal a reduction in the number of people killed, injured or made ill by work during 2007/8.
The figures, published in the HSE’s Health and Safety Statistics 2007/08 1 show that major injuries at work have fallen by around 9% since the start of the decade, with this trend continuing in 2007/8. There has been a slight upturn, however, in the construction sector – an industry already suffering in the current credit crunch.
‘Construction has the largest number of fatal injuries of all the main industry groups,’ says Geoff Hooke, Secretary General of the BSIF, the safety industry’s leading trade body. ‘And although the last 15 years overall has shown a downward trend in the rate of fatal injury to workers, the most recent five years has shown little change. There has also been a slight rise in major injuries in the sector this year.’
‘The credit crunch has already had its effect on the construction sector,’ says Geoff, ‘with 15% less orders placed in the last three months and orders in the private housing sector falling by 33%. 2
‘This has put extra pressure on construction workers who have to work smarter in order to remain competitive and win business. But it’s important that this doesn’t mean cutting corners – especially where safety is concerned,’ says Geoff. ‘With more than 30% of all worker deaths occuring within the construction industry (more than 2,800 people have died of work-related injuries in the sector in the past 25 years) 3, it is more important than ever that adequate safety procedures are in place. This means adequate risk assessment procedures, undertaken by competent professionals and adequate health and safety training for key personnel.’
‘The construction downturn cannot be used as an excuse for paying less attention to safety – in fact quite the contrary! If the construction industry does not manage health and safety then accidents will continue to occur, with far reaching consequences!’
Key points of 2007/8 statistics:
Ill health
• 2.1 million people were suffering from work related illnesses
Injuries
• Over 136,000 workers suffered injuries such as amputations, burns or fractures.
Working days lost
• 34 million working days were lost in Great Britain due to injury and ill-health fatalities
• 229 people were killed at work
Enforcement
• 1028 offences were prosecuted by HSE
• 354 offences were prosecuted by local authorities
1 See www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/hssoct08.htm
2 Office for National Statistics, October 2008. Though forecasts indicate that the industry is expected to expand in the long term in the UK, due to high-value projects like the Olympic Park and the Thames Gateway re-development, and continued public sector investment in services and facilities such as roads, schools and hospitals.
3 HSE (2008). Despite the fact that there has been a small reduction in fatalities this year (from 79 in 2006/7 to 72 in 2007/8) the overall trend is worrying. More articles from BSIF Enterprise: | 
