Injuries at work Statistics – The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK say that the latest injuries at work statistics for 2017/18 show that too many workers are still being injured or made ill by their work. Despite the UK continuing to be one of the safest places to work, key figures show that in 2017/18 there were:
1.4 million working people suffering from a work-related illness
144 workers were killed at work
555,000 injuries occurred at work according to the Labour Force Survey(that’s almost 2 million workers who have been subject to an injury and illness at work)
30.7 million working days were lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury
£15 billion is the estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions
HSE releases annual UK workplace fatality figures – Construction sector fatal accidents rise sharply
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released its annual injuries at work statistics and work-related fatal injuries for 2017/18, as well as the number of people known to have died from the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, in 2016.
Although in recent years, the number has remained broadly level with the average annual number of workers killed at work over the five years 2013/14-2017/18p (the average number is 141), the HSE has just revealed that 144 workers were fatally injured between April 2017 and March 2018 (a rate of 0.45 per 100,000 workers), an increase of nine fatalities form the previous year
Construction statistics
Construction sites still remain the most dangerous workplace and account for the largest share of any industry, with the death of 38 construction workers in 2017. This is a 27% increase over the previous year. The previous year was in fact the lowest number on record.
The rate of fatal injury in construction is now at 1.64 per 100,000 workers employed, 4 times as high as the average rate across industries but considerably less than the rate in either Agriculture (18 times as high) or Waste and recycling (16 times as high). It should be noted however that the number of fatal injuries in the construction sector has fluctuated in recent years. Some 47 people were killed in 2015/16 compared with the previous year’s total of 35.
Which are the high risk factors ?
Workers falling from height – 35 deaths.
Being struck by a moving vehicle – 26 deaths.
Moving Object – 23 deaths.
The new figures also highlight the risks to older workers, with 40% of fatal injuries in 2017/18 to workers aged 60 or over, even though such workers made up only around 10% of the workforce.
In addition, there were also 100 members of the public fatally injured in incidents connected to work in 2017/18 with just over half of these fatalities occurring on railways.
Asbestos figures
The latest statistics also show that in 2016 2,595 workers in the UK died from mesothelioma – a cancer often caused by exposure to asbestos at work and one of the few work-related diseases where deaths can be counted directly.
The current figures are largely a consequence of occupational asbestos exposures that occurred before 1980. Of the deaths in 2016, 398 were among women and 2,197 were among men – again this ratio is broadly similar to previous years. The latest projections suggest there will continue to be around 2,500 deaths per year for the rest of this current decade before annual numbers begin to decline.
Global statistics
Britain has consistently had one of the lowest injuries at work statistics and also fatal injuries to workers. In 2015, Britain had the lowest rate compared to other leading industrial nations in Europe –France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland.
The full report from the HSE can be found here.
IMEC Technologies provides Safety Management Software to increase worker safety and aid compliance. IMEC’s Safety Management Software will manage inspections and audits, provides hazard identification, incident reporting, management of corrective and preventative actions from generation to closure. IMEC provides lock out tag out software solutions that will allow users to create lockout tagout procedures using an intuitive Mobile App and Manage Lockout Tagout Procedures, also the Review and Execution of those Lockout Tagout Procedures using the Mobile App. Annual Lockout Tagout Procedures audits are conducted using a Mobile App. The Mobile Inspection App allow users to perform inspections and audits, for example the system can be used as a Fire Extinguisher Barcode Inspection Software system to manage monthly fire extinguisher inspections and general fire safety inspections and also to record safety observations and manage corrective actions, anywhere and anytime. The solution can be used as a fire extinguisher barcode inspection software system or life safety inspection system to aid compliance in Higher Education, Healthcare, Industrial and Commercial Organizations. Benefits from a Fire Extinguisher Barcode System include the elimination of paperwork and reducing the burden of compliance with regulations such as NFPA, The Joint Commission. The Incident Reporting App allows users to easily and quickly report incidents, hazards and near-misses, these are then sent to the appropriate people for action and are managed to closure. Web Apps provide features such as, setup, management, scheduling tools, analysis, reporting and dashboards etc with the ability to report incidents to government bodies such as OSHA and RIDDOR. HazMat T&T is a hazardous waste management software solution designed for Environmental Service Companies and companies who generate a large quantity of hazardous waste. The solution tracks hazardous waste from cradle to grave aiding compliance, providing accurate waste inventory, increasing waste handling efficiency, reducing risk and also helps manage waste costs. HazMat T&T Hazardous Waste Management Software can be deployed in a number of deployment scenarios, from Large Hazardous Waste Generators, tracking their hazardous waste at their site to Environmental Service and Waste Management Companies using it track and manage hazardous waste at transfer and disposal sites. For more information visit our website www.imectechnologies.com