HSE Releases Latest Annual Figures for Workplace Fatalities 2018/2019
The latest provisional Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures relating to work related fatal injuries for 2018/19 have been released – revealing that 147 workers were fatally injured between April 2018 and March 2019. The figures also include the number of people known to have died from mesothelioma – asbestosAsbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK1. Asbestos was extensively used in construction materials up until the late 1990s, and is present in a significant number of bu... More related cancer – in 2017, but excludes deaths from other occupational diseases.
The figures highlight that there has been an increase in workplace fatalities, compared with the 2017/2018 period. However, the figure has remained broadly level in recent years, and there has been an overall long-term reduction since the 1980s.
The report shows how the fatal injuries occur across different sectors, such as construction; agriculture; manufacturing; transport and storage; waste; and wholesale, retail trade, motor vehicle repair; accommodation and food services.
The three most common causes of fatal injuries remain the same – workers falling from height (40), being struck by a moving vehicle (30) and being struck by a moving object (16). These figures account for nearly 60 per cent of fatal injuries in 2018/19.
The report highlights that the number of workers aged 60 or over still sees a high number of workplace fatalities, continuing the increasing trend in this area.
A wider assessment of work-related ill-health and injuries, drawing on the full range of HSE’s data sources, is due to be provided at the end of October 2019.
To prevent incidents, organisations which are well-prepared, with adequate safety precautions in place, are likely to have the right inherent approach to safety and risk management in the workplace.
By conforming to ISO 45001 standards, organisations can improve employee safety, reduce workplace risks and create better, safer working conditions. The process looks for continual review and improvement. This standard can be effectively supported by implementing an online property risk management system, such as the S2 Partnership’s property risk management software, RiskWise, which enables organisations to manage and reduce risks and achieve robust safety compliance requirements. The Accident and Incident module within RiskWise also allows clients to track incidents and near misses, identifying and mitigating any risk areas. This data can be analysed by incident type and root cause over time, building an accurate picture of any trends, and the system can assign actions to help to prevent future incidents.
In addition, the S2 Partnership provides a range of Health and Safety consultancy services, managing the risk requirements of clients across the UK and internationally. S2 can assist organisations with meeting all requirements for obtaining ISO 45001, such as: carrying out a gap analysis of an existing management system; assisting with updating policies and carrying out an independent audit of management systems to identify potential non-conformities prior to a certification audit. Risk management need not be difficult or time consuming, especially for clients in a low risk environment. S2 will find out what help or advice a client needs, guiding them through the process to deliver a safe working environment. For more information, or to ask for a RiskWise demonstration, please contact us.
To view the full copy of this report, click here.