HSC publishes statistics of fatal injuries 2005/2006

C018:06 17 August 2006

The Health & Safety Commission (HSC) today publishes the latest detailed statistics on workplace fatal injuries in 2005/06 - Statistics of Fatal Injuries 2005/2006. The document can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overpic.htm

Fatal injuries to workers

Of the 212 fatal injuries, 92 (43%) occurred in the two industries of construction (59) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (33).

Falling from a height continues to be the most common kind of accident, accounting for 22% of fatal injuries to workers in 2005/06. The number of fatal injuries of this kind decreased in 2005/06 from 53 to 46, the lowest on record, and in particular falls from over 2 metres have reduced to 26, from an average of 48 per year over the past five years. Being struck by a moving vehicle, and being struck by a moving or falling object, are the next most common kinds of fatal injury.

In 2003, the most recent year for which comparable data are available, the rate of fatal injury to workers in Great Britain was the lowest of European member states.

Industries

In agriculture, the number of fatal injuries to workers decreased to 33 in 2005/06 from 42 in 2004/05. The rate of fatal injury to workers also decreased from 10.4 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers in 2004/05 to 8.1 in 2005/06, although this rate has fluctuated in recent years with no discernible trend.

In construction in 2005/06, there were 59 fatal injuries to workers, compared to 69 in the previous year, a reduction of 14%. The rate of fatal injury to construction workers fell by a similar proportion, to 3.0 per 100,000 workers from 3.5, and continuing the downward trend of recent years. This is now the lowest level on record.

In manufacturing, the number of fatal injuries to workers increased in 2005/06, from 43 to 45. The rate also increased, from 1.3 to 1.4 per 100,000. The injury rate has fluctuated in recent years, with no overall trend.

In the large services sector, both the number and rate of fatal injury increased slightly in 2005/06, when compared to the previous year. There were 69 fatalities in 2005/06 compared to 67, with corresponding injury rates of 0.29 and 0.28. Of the 69 deaths in 2005/06, 16 occurred in land transport; 8 in retail trade; 7 in sewage & refusal disposal activities and 6 in the sale, maintenance and repair of motor vehicles. The services sector comprises a wide range of activities, and numbers of fatal injuries fluctuate year-on-year in many industries.

In the extractive and utility supply industries, fatal injuries increased from 2 in 2004/05 to 6 in 2005/06. Rates of injury also increased, from 1.2 to 3.6. However, yearly comparisons can fluctuate due to the relatively small numbers of fatalities and employment involved.

Fatal injuries to members of the public

The provisional number of members of the public fatally injured in 2005/06 was 384, of which 254 resulted from acts of suicide or trespass on railways. Comparable figures for 2004/05 were 370 and 253 respectively.

Notes to editors

1. The reporting of health and safety incidents at work is a statutory requirement, set out under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR). A reportable incident includes: a death or major injury; any accident which does not result in major injury, but the injured person still has to take four or more days off their normal work to recover; a work-related disease; a member of the public being injured as a result of work-related activity and taken to hospital for treatment; or a dangerous occurrence (which does not result in a serious injury, but could have done).
2. As well as giving data for Great Britain, the statistics released today include figures for Wales, Scotland and the regions of England, together with statistics relating to European Union member states.

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