
![]() |
Mark Sennett
Managing Editor |
![]() |
Kelly Rose
Editor |
Home> | Health & Wellbeing | >General Health & Wellbeing | >HSE releases Britain's annual injury and ill-health statistics |
HSE releases Britain's annual injury and ill-health statistics
08 December 2020
STATISTICS RELEASED by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that Great Britain is still one of the safest places in the world to work with the lowest number of deaths on record.
However, more than half of Britain’s working days lost in 2019/20 were due to mental ill-health.
The HSE's annual report includes statistics for work-related ill health, workplace injuries, working days lost, enforcement action taken, and the associated costs to Great Britain.
The emergence of COVID-19 as a national health issue at the end of final quarter of 2019/20 does not appear to be the main driver of changes seen in the 2019/20 data, although it is possible that COVID-19 may be a contributory factor.
HSE has been at the heart of work across government for getting Great Britain’s workplaces Covid Secure. As part of HSE’s response to COVID-19, it has continued to support the wider health response through working closely with National Public Health Bodies, Local Authorities and local health teams.
Figures show that around 693,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries in 2019/2020 and 1.6 million workers suffering from work-related ill-health.
The statistics, compiled from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and other sources, illustrate that in Great Britain in the 2019/2020 period there were;
- 111 fatal injuries at work
- 1.6 million working people suffering from a work-related illness
- 38.8 million working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury
- 325 cases were prosecuted and resulted in a conviction. Fines from convictions totalled £35.8 million
In 2019/2020, the estimated economic cost to Great Britain totalled £16.2 billion with 38.8 million working days lost.
In response to the report, Sarah Newton, HSE chair said, “The Covid pandemic has focussed attention on the health and safety issues people face in the workplace. HSE remains committed to taking action where workers are not protected, to ensure the guidance and assistance we provide for employers in managing risks is the best available, based on the latest evidence and science.
“Although Great Britain continues to be up there with the safest places in the world to work, these figures highlight the scale of the challenge HSE currently faces in making Britain an even healthier and safer place to work, this includes our role in the response to the pandemic to ensure workplaces are Covid Secure.
“We must continue to drive home the importance of managing risk and promoting behaviours to ensure employers work right so that workers are able to go home healthy and safe at the end of each day.”
The full annual injury and ill-health statistics report can be found on HSE’s website.
- ‘No deal’ ramifications for chemical sector explained
- Lords battle to stop key EU laws drifting into sunset
- BUPA fined £3m after death of elderly resident
- Workplace noise hindering manufacturing workers
- Construction company prosecuted for multiple safety failings
- £200k fine for poor health and safety management
- Skip hire company fined after worker injured
- Unsafe work sees gas fitter jailed
- Company and workers sentenced after electric shock incident
- Research finds cause of insomnia in firefighters
- BSIF: Covid-19 Update
- Dust tight
- SAFEContractor for 5th year
- BSC welcomes proposals to slash legal costs in personal injury claims
- Get some insight
- Asbestos remains number one killer
- Chemical exposure course goes more than skin deep
- Getting workers involved in safety
- Dual drug testing
- On-site health screening