Construction deaths down to a record low in 2005/06

E085:06 17 August 2006

Statistics released today by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show the total number of fatal injuries to workers in construction during 2005/06 was 59 (provisional), a fall from the final figure of 69 in 2004/05. This is the lowest figure on record.

Of the 59 deaths, 8 occurred during the construction of commercial buildings, 8 during domestic projects, 8 fatalities were on projects involving special trades, and 8 were in the construction of highways and roads.

Stephen Williams, HSE Chief Inspector of Construction said:

"These figures are very good and I am pleased with progress so far. It is positive news that HSE in partnership with all in industry - employers, unions and stakeholder bodies - are driving down fatalities on sites. However, we should be cautious. One year's figures should not be viewed in isolation and it is too early to say whether the reduction in fatal injuries represents the significant behaviour change the industry has been promising. Let us not be complacent - one death is still one too many.

"Only by continuing to work with the industry can we improve the health and safety of workers within construction. I applaud the recently agreed short and medium term objectives set by the Strategic Forum for Construction. These include qualifying the workforce, progressing the behavioural change we have started to see in construction and harnessing the capacity of technological change to fuel improved health and safety performance. All of these will help contribute to a successful future for the construction industry."

Notes to editors

1. There were 59 fatalities to workers in the construction industry in 2005/06; the total number of workers refers to employees and the self-employed. However, due a continued rise in employment, the fatal injury rate has fallen by 14% since 2004/05 to 3.0 per 100,000 workers, continuing the downward trend of the past five years. This is the lowest level noted on record.
2. During 2005/06, 5 members of the public died as a result of construction activity, a fall from 8 in 2004/05.
3. In 2004/05, the final total of fatal injuries to construction workers was 69.
4. After falling from height the most common kinds of fatal injury are being struck by a moving/falling object, being struck by a vehicle, being trapped by something collapsing/overturning and contact with electricity.
5. 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.
6. 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 http://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.
7. 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.
8. 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;
9. The industry's achievements to date are:
   • The fatal injury rate has fallen 36% since the baseline of 1999/2000 and 49% since the 2001 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
10. Information about HSE's Construction Division can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm.

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