One in every 125,000 workers were fatally injured at work in the last 12 months, with the agricultural and construction industries accounting for just under half of all fatal injuries at work. The statistics* are all the more important, as National Health and Safety Week takes place between 21st ñ 27th October 2007.
The statistics, recently released by the Health and Safety Executive highlight an increase in fatal incidents in the work place from last year.
Colin Ettinger, personal injury specialist at law firm Irwin Mitchell, urges both employers and employees to continue to be vigilant in the work place when it comes to health and safety, in a bid to bring the figures back down: ìIn 2005/06 217 workers died from work related accidents, which is the lowest annual figures on record yet. However, this year the numbers have crept back up to 241 deaths in the last 12 months. These are worrying statistics and show that there is still a lot to be done by employers to improve the safety of their employeesî
Despite the statistics revealing that, overall, in the last 15 years there has been a steady drop in injuries and fatal incidents, the last five years has shown that the rate of fall in the statistics to be slowing and they are predicted to even out in coming years.
Colin Ettinger continued: ìWorkers should be particularly wary when working at a height, as an astonishing 19% of all fatal injuries occur from falling. Those who work in the Agricultural and Construction industry are also at risk, with figures that reveal nearly half (46%) of all fatal injuries occur from these two industries. ì
National Law Firm warns employers and employees to be vigilant in the work place
Health and Safety week - 21st - 27th October 2007
