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Couting the cost - a person holding a counter.

Counting the cost

Britain’s health and safety record continues to improve, but there is no room for complacency. Last year, 2 million people suffered from illnesses caused or made worse by work, 146 000 people were seriously injured, 212 people were killed, and 30 million working days were lost due to accidents and ill health.

Key facts for 2005/06 are:

  • Fatal injuries – 212 workers were killed.
  • Non-fatal injuries – 146 076 employees suffered serious injuries at work.
  • 2million people were suffering from an illness they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work.
  • 523 000 of these were new cases in the last 12 months.
  • 30 million days were lost overall (1.3 days per worker), 24 million due to workrelated ill health and 6 million due to workplace injury.