November 16, 2009—Newly released statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show a significant reduction in the number of workers killed, injured, or suffering work-related ill health in the U.K. from April 2008 to March 2009. HSE says that the number of major injuries at work has fallen each year since 2000.
Across England, Scotland, and Wales, 29.3 million working days (equivalent to 1.24 days per worker) were lost to injury and ill health last year—compared with 33.9 million in 2007-08. Workplace fatal injuries fell from 233 in 2007-08 to a record low of 180 in 2008-09, and there was a reduction of more than 7,000 in the number of workplace injuries classified as serious or incurring more than three days absence from work.
Comparison with international data shows Britain to be one of the safest places to work in the EU, claims HSE. In 2006 (the latest comparable year), Great Britain reportedly had the lowest rate of fatal injury among EU member states and the British rate of over-3-day injury was the second lowest in the EU, after Sweden. Rates of work-related ill health are below the EU average, adds HSE.
HSE notes that the numbers are not only attributable to a reduction in activity levels due to the economic recession, although the organization does warn regulators, employers, and employees alike that everyone needs to work together to make sure the rate does not increase as the U.K. starts moving back into economic growth.
