Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Statistics
There were four fatalities to workers in the hotel and catering sectors in 2006/07, compared with three fatalities in 2004/05 and 2005/06.
The rate of fatal injury to workers remained at 0.2 for the last three years. Due to the relatively small numbers of fatal injuries in this sector, both the number and rate of fatal injury have fluctuated since 1996/97 with no overall trend.
The number of reported major injuries to employees in these sectors decreased by 9% in 2006/07 to 1069 from 1176 in 2005/06. This has reversed the increasing trend since 2001/02.
The rate of major injury to employees in hotels and catering decreased from 65.7 per 100 000 employees to 60.2 in 2006/07, and also reverses the upward trend of the previous four years.
In 2006/07, 52% (558 of 1069) of major injuries to employees in hotels and catering were as a result of slips or trips, handling, lifting or carrying accounted for 15% (156 of 1069) of major injuries to employees in the hotel and catering industry.
Based on the Labour Force Survey (LFS), the rate of reportable non-fatal injury in the hotel and catering sector was 1000 per 100 000 workers (1.0%) in 2005/06 (three-year average), similar (not statistically significantly different) to the average for all industries (1000 per 100 000 workers - 1.0%).
The RIDDOR rate of reported non-fatal injury (major and over-3-day) in the hotel and catering sectors decreased by 1% to 290 in 2006/07 from 292 in 2005/06.
The rate of reported over-3-day injury to employees in hotels and catering rose very slightly in 2006/07 to 229.6 from 226.4 in 2005/06.
The latest survey of self-reported work-related illness (SWI) carried out in 2006/07 estimated that 33 000 people whose current or most recent job in the last year was in the hotels and restaurants sector suffered from an illness which was caused or made worse by this job (See Table WRIIND2). The associated prevalence rate, 2500 per 100 000 people (2.5%) working in the last year, was statistically significantly lower than that for all industries (3900 per 100 000 people – 3.9%).
Comparing this rate for hotels and restaurants with corresponding rates from earlier SWI surveys indicates that the estimated prevalence rate in 2006/07 was of a similar order (not statistically significantly different) to those in 2005/06 (2000 per 100 000 people - 2.0%), 2004/05 (1800 per 100 000 people – 1.8%), 2003/04 (2700 per 100 000 people – 2.7%) and 2001/02 (2400 per 100 000 people – 2.4%).
SWI Table WRIIND4 shows that the estimated incidence rate in 2006/07 for the hotels and restaurants sector of between 580 and 1400 per 100 000 people (between 0.58% and 1.4%) working in the last 12 months was statistically significantly lower than the average for all industries (1900 per 100 000 people – 1.9%). However, this rate was of a similar order (not statistically significantly different) to the rates in 2005/06 (between 760 and 1800 per 100 000 people - between 0.76% and 1.8%), 2004/05 (between 520 and 1300 per 100 000 people – between 0.52% and 1.3%), 2003/04 (1200 per 100 000 people – 1.2%) and 2001/02 (1500 per 100 000 people - 1.5%).
More detailed prevalence data by type of illness are not yet available from SWI06/07. However, earlier SWI surveys indicate that the prevalence rates for musculoskeletal disorders (See SWI Table MSDIND2) were statistically significantly lower than the corresponding average for all industries in 2004/05, 2003/04 and 2001/02; sample numbers were too small to provide a reliable rate for the hotel and restaurants sector in 2005/06. For stress, depression or anxiety (See SWI Table STRIND2) sample numbers were too small to provide reliable rates in 2005/06, 2004/05 and 2003/04, but the prevalence rate in 2001/02 was statistically significantly lower than that for all industries.
The incidence data from the THOR scheme shows lower than average rates for stress and musculoskeletal disorders in this sector. The only ill health condition that occurs at a markedly higher rate as compared to the all industries average is dermatitis. (see Table ILLHOT5)
Data from the 2006/07 LFS and SWI surveys indicate that the combined estimate of the number of days lost (full-day equivalent) due to workplace injury and work-related ill health attributed to the current or most recent job in the hotels and restaurants sector was 0.9 million, equating to an average annual loss of an estimated 1.0 days per worker. This was similar (not statistically significantly different) to the rate for all industries (1.3 days per worker) and the rates in 2005/06 (1.1 days per worker), 2004/05 (0.62 days per worker) and 2003/04 (1.5 days per worker).
Workplace injuries accounted for between 40 000 and 0.2 million working days lost (full-day equivalent) in 2006/07 and work-related illness between 0.3 and 1.2 million working days lost (full-day equivalent), with corresponding rates between 0.047 and 0.25 days per worker and between 0.31 and 1.41 days per worker.
The injury rate was of a similar order (not statistically significantly different) to the rate of between 0.11 and 0.54 days per worker in 2005/06, and to the respective rates of 0.19 and 0.40 days per worker in 2004/05 and 2003/04.
The ill health rate was also of a similar order (not statistically significantly different) to those between 0.22 and 1.2 days per worker in 2005/06, between 0.14 and 0.71 days per worker in 2004/05 and 1.1 days per worker in 2003/04 (see Table WDLIND).