E109:06 7 November 2006

Construction statistics 2005/06(p) - falls down, slips up

Statistics released by the Health and Safety Executive for 2005/06 show the rate of fatal and major injuries in the construction industry is continuing to fall. The Health and Safety Statistics 2005/06 report shows:

• The rate of reported fatal injuries (to all workers, including the self employed) in construction between 1999/00 and 2005/06 has reduced by around 36%;
• The rate of reported major injuries to employees in construction between 1999/00 and 2005/06 has reduced by around 22%; and
• The rate of reported over three day injuries to employees in construction between 1999/00 and 2005/06 has reduced by around 31%.

There has also been good progress towards the all industry Revitalising targets of 2000, although the industry is still falling short of its own ambitious targets set at the 2001 Construction Summit.

Construction injury rates since 1999/2000

For the first time the proportion of major injuries due to falls from height has been overtaken by those resulting from slips, trips and falls on the same level. Injuries due to slips and trips and manual handling have risen steadily over the past few years while those from falls from height and being struck by an object have been reduced substantially.

The Health and Safety Statistics 2005/06 report shows:

• There were 981 major injuries in construction caused by slips, trips or falls on the same level;
• There were 917 major injuries in construction caused by falls from height;
• There were 577 major injuries in construction while handling, lifting or carrying;
• There were 572 major injuries in construction caused by struck by moving, including flying/falling object.

Detail of causes for fatalities can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/press/2006/e06085.htm

Commenting on the statistics, HSE’s Chief Inspector of Construction, Stephen Williams said: "My congratulations go out to the industry on the progress it has made so far. I am particularly 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 rates ever for fatal, major injuries and over three day injuries.”

“There has been very good progress in reducing injuries due to falls and being hit by objects. This, coupled with the decrease in fatal injuries announced earlier this year (down to 59 from last year’s total of 69) shows that the hard work by many in the industry is paying off. However, slips and trips and manual handling injuries are increasing. It may be that they receive less attention because they rarely result in fatalities; nevertheless more needs to be done to prevent these types of injury. In particular, sites need to be kept tidy, which is hard work and requires persistence.

“We need to focus more on these areas, while maintaining the progress on falls from height. If the industry had made the same progress in these other areas it would have been close to meeting its own challenging targets.”

Notes to Editors

1. The full report, Health and safety statistics 2005/06, can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh0506.pdf
2. HSC published its Strategy for workplace health and safety in Great Britain to 2010 and beyond on 23 February 2004. The strategy aims to promote a vision of health and safety as a cornerstone of a civilised society and to achieve a record of workplace health and safety that leads the world. The strategy is available at: www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/strategy.htm
3. The ‘Revitalising Health and Safety’ strategy statement, launched by the Deputy Prime Minister and HSC Chair 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.

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