Rise in number of workplace fatalities

New official statistics from the HSE show the number of workers killed in Britain last year has increased.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released provisional data for the year April 2010 to March 2011, which shows the number of workers killed was 171, an increase on the previous year, when 147 died - the lowest number on record.

The rate of fatal injury is now 0.6 per 100,000 workers, up from 0.5 per 100,000 workers the previous year.

Judith Hackitt, the HSE Chair, said:"The increase in the number of deaths in the last year is disappointing, after an all time low last year. However, we must remember that we still have one of the lowest rates of fatal injury anywhere in Europe.

"The fact that 171 people failed to come home from work to their loved ones last year reminds us all of what we are here to do. It is a stark reminder of the need to ensure that health and safety remains focused on the real risks, which exist in workplaces not on trivia and pointless paperwork."

Reacting to the figures, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:"While you cannot read too much into one year's figures, everyone will be concerned about this rise in workplace deaths, especially given the steady fall in fatalities we have seen in recent years.

"The responsibility for the increase in deaths this year must be placed at the door of negligent employers, but more needs to be done to ensure that all employers protect their workers from harm.

"The government's recent decision to reduce workplace inspections and the budget cuts for both the HSE and local authorities make it far less likely that problems will be identified before something goes wrong.

"Traditionally injury rates increase as we come out of a recession. If we are going to stop this year's increase becoming a long-term trend we need more inspections in the workplace - not less."

Mike Macdonald, of HSE staff union, Prospect, called on the Government to rethink the 35-per-cent cut to the regulator's budget, saying: "Not only does the HSE's work save lives and reduce the misery felt by friends and family following the death of a loved one, it saves industry and the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds in lost working days and medical bills.

"Therefore, we have to question how appropriate it is for the Government to make cuts of 35 per cent, which will result in fewer front-line inspections."

Meanwhile, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) urged that although the trend over the past few years indicates worker fatalities are generally decreasing, the most recent figures illustrate that occupational safety cannot be seen as a "job done".

The figures also show the rate of fatal injuries in several of the key industrial sectors:

• 50 fatal injuries to construction workers were recorded - a rate of 2.4 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared to an average of 61 deaths in the past five years and an increase from the 41 deaths (and rate of 1.9) recorded in 2009/10


• 34 fatal injuries to agricultural workers were recorded - a rate of 8.0 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared to an average of 35 deaths in the past five years and a fall from the 39 deaths (and rate of 10.4) recorded in 2009/10


• Nine fatal injuries to waste and recycling workers were recorded - a rate of 8.7 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared to an average of 8 deaths in the past five years and an increase from the 3 deaths (and rate of 2.8) recorded in 2009/10