New year, renewed call to reduce workplace death and injury in Worcestershire

Date:

31 December 2010

Release No:

WM306/10

Employers in Worcestershire are being urged to start the New Year with a stronger commitment to health and safety.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warning comes after the number of work-related fatalities in the area remained the same as last year, out of step with the total number of work-related deaths across Britain being at a record low.

According to figures released for 2009/10, one person in the county was fatally injured at work, while 261 received serious workplace injuries, an increase of 23 from the previous year.

There were 2,464 serious workplace injuries recorded across the West Midlands region last year compared to 2,658 in 2008/09 and nine deaths - three fewer than the previous year.

Rosi Edwards, Regional Director for HSE in the West Midlands, previous year.

"Employers have a legal duty to protect their workers and I would encourage them to make it their New Year's resolution to ensure they continue to do all they can. The national fall in numbers of workers killed or injured through their work is encouraging but we must also remember that each death results in a family missing a loved one this festive season.

"Employers cannot get complacent; they must stay vigilant and learn the lessons from the past to ensure they protect their workers in the future. Putting in place simple, straightforward health and safety measures can save lives. It is not good for companies or their workers if they are off through an injury or ill-health."

Notes to editors

1. HSE publishes a full range of workplace health and safety statistics. These can be viewed at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm
2. 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 three or more consecutive 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).
3. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
4. A table showing the number of fatal, serious and over three-day injuries by West Midlands local authority area for 2009/10 and 2008/09 is on page 3.

Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR (West Midlands)