Latest Health and Safety Executive statistics have highlighted that some industries have a higher than average number of non-fatal injuries.
These industries include agriculture, forestry and fishing, construction, accommodation, food service activities and wholesale retail trade and repair of motor vehicles.
The latest key figures for Great Britain concerning the health and safety statistics have just been released. It shows most worryingly that 123 workers were killed in work related accidents in the latest recorded year with 565,000 working people sustaining injury in a work accident related injury according to the labour force survey. 61,713 of these injuries to employees were reported under the RIDDOR requirements.
The risk of injury or work-related ill health varies from industry to industry which evidently is more likely in some industries than others. This is certainly a trend we see in practice.
The employer is under a statutory duty to provide a safe system of work and are responsible for the health and safety of the employee and any visitors to the premises such as customers and the general public. Should they fail in this duty then they will be liable for any claim. The Health and Safety Executive is there to investigate when serious accidents occur when employers fail in this duty.
It also goes without saying that the above industries are likely to be more severe in terms of injury and the potential implications this has on an employee, given the use of machinery and tools.
In the construction industry, statistics show that 78,000 workers suffered from work related ill heath both new or longstanding. This includes 53% suffering from musculoskeletal, 27% suffering with stress, depression or anxiety and 20% suffering with other causes. 30 fatal injuries occurred in workers during 2021 – 2022, in comparison with the annual average number of 36 fatalities. These included falls from height, being trapped or crushed, struck by moving or falling objects, struck by moving vehicles and contact with electricity or electrical discharge.
There was a record of 59,000 non-fatal injuries to workers each year averaged over the period 2019- 2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Injuries caused in the construction industry can be life changing given that they tend to involve plants, machinery, or heavy or dangerous equipment.
The manufacturing statistics in Great Britain 2022 also outlines there was 22 fatal injuries to workers in the year 2021 to 2022 with 54,000 workers sustaining non-fatal injuries at work each year across the 3-year period 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Again, these involved slips and trips, injured whilst handling, lifting or carrying, being struck by moving including flying or falling objects and contact with moving machinery.
If you have been injured in an accident at work which you were not at fault for, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation but it is vital you seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity. There are strict time limits for these types of claims. To speak to a specialist for a free, no-obligation assessment of your claim, please call 0845 287 0939, contact us by email, or use the online chat button below.
