The number of people killed at work in Britain last year rose by 16 per cent, prompting renewed calls on the Government to rethink its strategy to reduce health and safety activity and resources.
Provisional figures released by the revealed that 171 workers died in 2010/11 – up from the record low of 147 deaths in 2009/10. The rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers also went up – from 0.5 to 0.6.
The construction industry recorded 50 deaths among its workers – an increase of 22 per cent on last year’s total of 41 fatalities. The fatal-injury rate in the industry was 2.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. In the agriculture sector, which, along with construction, is traditionally the most dangerous in which to work, deaths fell from 39 last year to 34 in 2010/11.
HSE chair Judith Hackitt admitted that the increase was “disappointing” but was keen to emphasise that Britain still has one of the lowest rates of fatal injury anywhere in Europe.
Calling on all stakeholders to continue to focus on “real risks and not on trivia and pointless paperwork”, she said: “We all have a role to play – employers, employees and regulators – and leadership is fundamental to maintaining and improving our performance even further.”
But the TUC, while agreeing that the responsibility for the rise in fatalities “must be placed at the door of negligent employers”, was adamant that more needs to be done by the Government to ensure workers are protected. Said general secretary, Brendan Barber:
“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 fewer.”
Related Course: Introduction to Workplace Health, Safety & Welfare
