E150:05 8 November 2005

Construction fatal and injury rate reducing, but industry still short of summit targets

Statistics released today by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show the rate of fatal and major injuries in the construction industry is reducing.

The Health and Safety Statistics 2004/05 report shows the rate of reported fatal and major injuries in construction between 1999/2000 and 2004/05 has reduced by around 24%.

When comparing rates of over-3-day injury, there has been a reduction of around 15% across all industries between 1999/2000 and 2004/05. In construction the rate has dropped by 35%.

Evidence suggests the Revitalising targets to reduce the incidence rate of work-related ill health by 10% from 1999/2000, and number of days lost per worker due to work related injury and ill health by 15% from 2000-2, are probably being achieved.

Commenting on the statistics, Chief Inspector of Construction, Stephen Williams said: "My congratulations go out to the industry on the progress it has made so far. I am pleased to see the encouraging signs that it has taken ownership of its health and safety performance and worked hard to achieve the lowest incidence rate ever for fatal and over 3 day injuries. It is on target to exceed the 'all industry' Revitalising targets set in 2000, but it is yet to meet its own challenging targets set at the 2001 Construction Summit.

“Difficult challenges still face the industry, and it must continue to show leadership in taking further action to drive through the cultural and behavioural changes needed for further improvement. Falls from height are still a major concern, accounting for almost 40% of the 71 workers who were killed in 2004/5. Each death is still one too many and simple measures could have prevented them. I want to see an industry that gets health and safety right first time, right from the start and with the right people involved.

“Work-related ill health affects a significant number of construction workers; the sector has one of the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders of all industries and needs to control the risks to its workers more effectively. HSE will continue working in partnership with the industry to gain improvements in the management of occupational health, as well as the issues it faces with safety.”

Notes to Editors

1. Press release C027:05, “HSE Publishes Health and Safety Statistics for 2004/2005” is available at www.hse.gov.uk/press/2005/c05027.htm

2. More detailed data and commentary are available on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics.

3. Copies of ‘Health and Safety Statistics 2004/05’ are free and can be ordered from the Statistics Co-ordination Unit, Health and Safety Executive, Room 462, Magdalen House, Bootle, Merseyside L20 3QZ, tel: 0151 951 3479/4355, fax: 0151 951 3785. The publication is also available online at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh0405.pdf .

4. Other sets of statistics have already been released this year: statistics of fatalities for 2004/05 were published in July 2005 in ‘Statistics of Fatal Injuries 2004/05’, available at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/fatl0405.pdf; and some statistics on work-related ill health were published in August 2005 in the ‘Occupational Health Statistics Bulletin 2004/05’, available at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/ohsb0405.htm. In addition, full details of HSE’s enforcement action were released on 20 October 2005 in the Offences and Penalties Report at www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/off0405/introduction.htm

5. The ‘Revitalising Health and Safety’ strategy statement, launched by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chair of the Health and Safety Commission in June 2000, set national targets to reduce the incidence rate of fatal and major injuries, the incidence rate of work-related ill health and the rate of working days lost from work-related injury and ill health. The targets relating to ill health are also featured in ‘Securing Health Together: A long-term occupational health strategy for Great Britain’, launched by the Health and Safety Commission and Executive, in association with other government departments, in July 2000.

6. The Revitalising Health and Safety targets for 2004/05, per 100,000 workers was to reduce:

• the incidence rate of fatal and major injuries by 5% from 1999/2000.
• the incidence rate of work-related ill health by 10% from 1999/2000
• the number of working days lost per worker due to work-related injury and ill health by 15% from 2000/02. Full details of the targets can be viewed at: www.hse.gov.uk/revitalising/index.htm

7. In 2001, following the Construction Summit the industry set itself the following targets for improvement:

• reduce the incidence rate of fatal and major injuries by 40% by 2004/5 and 66% by 2009/10;
• reduce the incidence rate of cases of work-related ill health by 20% by 2004/5 and 50% by 2009/10:
• reduce the number of working days lost per 100,000 workers from work-related injury and ill health by 20% by 2004/5 and by 50% by 2009/10.

Public Enquiries : HSE InfoLine, Tel: 0845 345 0055, visit: www.hse.gov.uk/contact or write to: HSE InfoLine, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.

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