South East employers asked to make New Year safety resolution

New figures show extent of workplace safety failings in local area

Date:

29 December 2009

Release No:

SEM/0212/09

Employers across the South East are being asked to ensure their workers are kept safe in 2010 as Britain's safety watchdog urges improvement on last year.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), last year over 300 work related incidents occurred across the South East each week, an annual total of 15,997 people being killed or injured.

HSE hope this figure will act a stark reminder to employers and staff to make their workplaces safer this New Year and drive down casualty rates.

The 2008/09 statistics show 15 people were killed at work across the region while 3,767 sustained major injuries and 12,523 more suffered injuries requiring more than three days absence. The figures compare with 23 fatalities, 3,663 major injuries and 12,780 cases requiring more than three days absence in 2007/08.

This equates to 4.9million working days lost at a massive cost to the economy and individual businesses, which is why HSE says it makes perfect sense to make working environments safe.

The organisation warns that if employers insist on compromising the health of their employees then it will not hesitate in taking enforcement action.

Last year HSE prosecuted 89 firms for breaching health and safety legislation and regulations.

Heather Bryant, the HSE's South East Regional Director, said:

"Behind these statistics are the real life stories of hundreds and thousands of people and families dealing with real hardship, pain and suffering.

"The New Year is an opportune time to reflect on the number of incidents in the past 12 months, and try and stop the same patterns being repeated.

"Slips, trips and falls from height are consistently the chief causes of death and serious injury.

"Many of these injuries are entirely preventable. We implore businesses to take practical action to manage the risks people face in their day-to-day work."

Britain boast one of the best health and safety records in Europe but with 180 workplace deaths nationally last year, HSE say there is still much to be done.

Heather Bryant added: "Simple assessments of risk, ease of tasks, accessibility, protection from harmful substances and training can and do prevent many incidents.

"HSE works with a number of partners to provide free advice and education to those both carrying out and managing work. We want businesses and the self-employed to work with us to help reduce injuries and make the South East a safer place to work.

"Every employee has the right to return home from work safely each day and I hope employers in South East share that view and take steps to ensure that is the case."

Notes to editors

1. "HSE is Britain's national regulator for workplace safety and health. It aims to reduce injuries and illness in the workplace."
2. The figures relate to the financial year 2008/2009.
3. The statistics broken down by the South East region and by local authority are listed below:

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Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News and PR.