Work injury news
08/05/2009

Calls to cut industrial accident deaths and injuries

All deaths caused in work and industrial accidents are preventable, according to union leaders who are calling for higher levels of safety in the workplace.

The call comes at the time of Workers Memorial Day, now apparently fast becoming an internationally established event to remember all those killed and who suffer injuries in accidents at work.

The UK government has announced it is considering instituting the memorial day - held at the end of April - as a national commemoration.

To coincide with this year's event, UCATT (Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians) revealed figures showing about half of construction workers killed at work last year were employed by small businesses, yet these firms represent only a third of the construction industry.

The union demanded higher safety standards, saying company directors who fail to ensure health and safety levels are adhered to should be imprisoned.

James Purnell, the UK government's Work and Pensions secretary, said, "The fact that some people go out to work and never return home to their families is a human tragedy."

He is launching a formal consultation to review making Workers Memorial Day a nationally commemorated event each year.

Support is growing in this country and across the world to better recognise and remember all those injured and killed in industrial accidents and other work activity.