Kinds of accident

From RIDDOR statistics, the most common kinds of fatal injury to workers in recent years have been falling from a height, being struck by a moving vehicle and being struck by a moving or falling object. In 2008/09, these three kinds of accident combined accounted for almost half of all fatal injuries to workers. The number of deaths from contact with moving machinery has increased over the last 3 years, but it is quite variable.

Chart 2: Number of fatal injuries to workers by most frequent kind of accident 2001/02 - 2008/09p

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The number of major injuries to employees occurring as a result of slipping and tripping had remained largely unchanged since 2004/05, but fell in  2008/09. Slipping and tripping remains the most common kind of major injury, accounting for 36% of all major injuries.

Similarly the number of falls increased over the last year. These changes are mainly the result of a coding change since, from Q1 2008/09, slips and trips down stairs are recorded as falls rather than slips and trips. This has led to a discontinuity in both series. The chart below shows the numbers of slips, trips and falls combined. This avoids the discontinuity as the increase in falls cancels out the decrease in slips and trips.

Chart 3: Number of major injuries to employees by most frequent kind of accident 1996/97 to 2008/09p

Chart 4: Number of major injuries to employees for falls, slips and trips 1996/97 to 2008/09p

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The number of over-3-day injuries to employees sustained while handling, lifting or carrying continued to decrease and is now 28% lower than at the peak in 2003/. However, this is still the most common kind of over-3-day injury accounting for 36% of all such injuries in 2008/09. As with major injuries the number of over-3-day injuries as a result of slipping and tripping fell, while that for falls rose by a similar number. Taken together the number of falls, slips and trips increased by 1.6% over the latest year. 

Chart 5: Over 3 day injuries to employees by most frequent kind of accident 2001/02 to 2008/09p

• View data for Chart 4: Over 3 day injuries to employees by most frequent kind of accident 1996/97 to 2008/09p

Chart 6: Over 3 day injuries to employees  for falls, slips and trips 1996/97 to 2008/09p

Other data on kinds of accidents

• Suite of injury tables providing figures on kinds of accident from RIDDOR
• Estimates by kind 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08 (LFS, RIDDOR)
  Estimated LFS incidence and rates of reportable non-fatal injuries to workers, by accident kind, 2004/05, 2006/07 and 2007/08.
• Working days lost by kind 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08 (LFS)
  Estimated number of working days lost (full-day equivalent) and associated average days lost per case and per worker in 2004/05, 2006/07 and 2007/08 due to workplace injuries, by accident kind.