Construction deaths down in 2004/2005 - But not a time to be complacent

E101:05 29 July 2005

Statistics released yesterday by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show the total number of fatal injuries to workers in construction for this year is 72, a small increase on 71 workers in 2003/04. However, due to a continued rise in employment, the fatal injury rate has fallen by 3% to 3.48 per 100,000 workers, continuing the downward trend of the past four years. This is the lowest level seen on record.

Rosi Edwards, acting Chief Inspector for Construction said:

"We can take some encouragement from the continuing decrease in the rate of fatalities, but the fact remains that 72 workers were killed in incidents, most of which could have been prevented with sensible risk control. This is unacceptably high, every fatality is one too many."

"Falls from a height account for 28 of the 72 fatalities, a welcome reduction from last year. None of these falls need have happened, simple measures could have prevented them."

"HSE will continue to work with the industry to gain improvements in the management of health and safety in order to reduce deaths, injuries and ill-health caused by work. HSE will continue to support the Strategic Forum for Construction which is taking forward the actions agreed at the Construction Summit in February this year. It is only by the industry showing leadership, working in partnership and taking ownership of the management of risk that improvements will be made."

Notes to Editor

1. In 2004/05, there were 72 fatal injuries to construction workers - an increase of 1 from 2003/04. However, due a continued rise in employment, the fatal injury rate has fallen by 3% to 3.48 per 100,000 workers, continuing the downward trend of the past four years. This is the lowest level seen on record.
2. After falling from height the most common kinds of fatal injury are being struck by a moving/falling object, being struck by a moving vehicle and contact with electricity.
3. The Construction Health and Safety Summit 2005 was one part of the process to ensure that the construction industry takes the action it needs to in order to meet its Revitalising targets in 2009/10. The Summit aimed to provide an opportunity for the construction industry to review its progress on the commitments given in 2001 and commit to further action.
4. At the 2005 Summit the Respect for People Code of Practice was launched. This sets out actions which all parts of the industry - clients, designers, contractors, trades unions, trade associations and professional bodies - can take. There is a website www.hse.gov.uk/construction/codeofpractice where individuals and organisations can sign up to the code and state what actions they are going to take.
5. The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, called the 2001 Construction Summit because of his awareness and growing concern about the industry's poor health and safety record. Called 'Turning concern into action' it acknowledged the concern over the industry's performance; agreed it had to improve; and the industry committed to a step change in performance. This was demonstrated through challenging targets and through Action Plans.
6. The industry set the following targets for improvement:
   • Reduce the incidence rate of fatalities 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.
7. The industry's achievements to date are:
   • 2003/04 had the lowest incidence rates ever for all injuries: fatals, major and over 3 day.
   • The fatal injury rate has fallen 25% since the baseline of 1999/2000 and 40% since the 2001 Summit.
   • The employee major injury rate has fallen 15% since 1999/2000 and 12% since the Summit.
   • The employee over-3-day accident rate has fallen 25% since 1999/2000 and 18% since the Summit.

NB: the construction industry committed itself at the 2001 Summit to (broadly) 10 times the Revitalising health and safety reduction targets set by Government/HSC for all industries. While construction has yet to achieve its own injury reduction targets it is exceeding the 'all industry' Revitalising targets. For further information on Revitalising see www.hse.gov.uk/revitalising/index.htm

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