Last month, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) released its annual figures for work-related fatal injuries in the years 2018 and 2019. The data revealed some interesting statistics on workplace injuries with 147 workers fatally injured in 2018/2019.
Although the total of 147 fatal injuries represents a slight increase from 2017/2018, in statistical terms, the number of fatalities has remained generally level in current years.
Let’s have a better look at all the figures:
The three main fatal injuries are; falls from a height, being struck by a moving vehicle and being struck by a moving object, flying or falling. These injuries are accountable for over half of all fatal injuries each year since 2001/02.
In the last financial year, the number of workers injured were 40 due to falls from a height, 30 by a moving vehicle, 16 being struck by a moving object, 14 due to contact with moving machinery and 11 by being trapped by something collapsing or overturning.
Falls from a height was the most common injury in 2017/2018 with 40 recorded fatal injuries in the workplace. This figure compares to 35 in 2017/18 and an annual average throughout 2014 to 2019 of 36.
In more detail, the number of deaths by industry were 32 in Agriculture, forestry and fishing, 30 in Construction, 26 in Manufacturing, 18 in Wholesale, 16 in Transportation, 10 in Support services and 7 in Waste and recycling.
The 18 Wholesale deaths are divided as follows:
- 8 in Wholesale trade activities.
- 7 in Wholesale and retail trade of motor vehicles.
- 2 in Retail trade and 1 in Accommodation.
The industry with the most fatalities comes under Agriculture and Construction. The number of fatal injuries for Construction although high it is the lowest number in record and similar to the last year’s low number of 31.
HSE chair Martin Temple, commented: “These statistics remind us that, in certain sectors of the economy, workplace death remain worryingly high. Agriculture, forestry and fishing accounts for a small fraction of the workforce of Great Britain yet accounted for over 20% of worker fatalities in the last year. This is unacceptable and more must be done to prevent such fatalities taking place.”
All the figures above were taken from the Workplace fatal injuries in Great Britain 2019 report. The figures are currently provisional and will be finalised in July 2020. To read the full report please click here.
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