Health and Safety Statistics 2008/09

The latest national statistics on work-related illness and injury, produced by the Health and Safety Executive, were released on 28 October 2009 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

This release presents statistics on work-related illness and injury in Great Britain for the period 2008/09.

Key facts for 2008/09 are:

Ill health

• 1.2 million people who worked during the last year were suffering from an illness (long-standing as well as new cases) they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work.
• 551 000 of these were new cases.
• 2156 people died of mesothelioma (2007), and thousands more from other occupational cancers and lung diseases.

Injuries

• 180 workers were killed at work, a rate of 0.6 per 100 000 workers.
• 104 301 other injuries to employees were reported under RIDDOR, a rate of 397.2 per 100 000 employees.
• 246 000 reportable injuries occurred, according to the Labour Force Survey (LFS), rate of 870 per 100 000 workers.

Working days lost

• 29.3 million days were lost overall (1.4 days per worker), 24.6 million due to work-related ill health and 4.7 million due to workplace injury.

Health and safety targets: progress to 2008/09

• Ill health: probably not on track to meet Revitalising target.
• Fatal and major injuries: on track to meet Revitalising target.
• Days lost per worker: probably on track to meet Revitalising target.

Enforcement

• 1245 offences were prosecuted by HSE and ORR.
• 329 offences were prosecuted by local authorities.

Useful links

1. Statistics Booklet
2. Statistics homepage including key figures for 2008/09 and access to wide range of statistics and commentary.
3. Country and region breakdowns
4. Suites of tables

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Coverage: Great Britain

Geographical breakdown: Great Britain, England, Wales, Scotland, Government Office Regions, Local Authorities