Industrial accident news
06/12/2010

Lowest industrial accident death rate in 2009-10

Fewer people died in 2009-10 as a result of an industrial accident than during any other period since records began.

Statistics published by The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that 152 workers were killed, compared with 179 deaths a year earlier. The head of the organisation said that some of this reduction could be due to the lack of activity on building sites because of the recession and fewer inexperienced workers, who have a greater risk of incurring a work-related injury, being employed.

Agriculture is the industry sector which bucked the downward trend by having an increased number of workers killed on farms. Of the 38 who died in a farm accident at work in the year, 17 were employees and 21 were self-employed.

With 8.2 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers, farming has overtaken the construction industry in terms of death rates. Seven members of the public also died in accidents connected with farms.

On building sites, 41 employees suffered fatal injuries (52 in 2008-9), while 42 people in service industries died, compared with 62 the previous year, while the figures for those in manufacturing industry saw a reduction from 33 fatalities to 24.

The numbers of employees suffering serious injuries also reduced to 26,061 from 27,894 and other reported injuries causing a worker to have an absence from his job for more than three days was down from 105,261 in 2007-8 to 95,369.

Slipping or tripping is the most common cause of a major accident, being blamed in 41% of cases, with falls from height comprising 16% of reasons given by victims or their employers.

For those with minor injuries, the reason was most likely to be handling, lifting or carrying at 36% then slipping or tripping at 24%.

The majority of employees, who have suffered as a result of an industrial accident which was not their fault, will be able to make a compensation claim for personal injury from their employer if the accident was due to a lack of safety precautions at the workplace.