Workplace major injuries hit all-time low for 2012/13

Latest provisional figures from the HSE reveal an 11% drop in workplace major injuries

FIGURES published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show an 11% drop in workplace major injuries (across all industries) in 2012/13, compared with 2011/12.

The provisional statistics show that in Britain between April 2012 and March 2013:

• 19,707 major injuries (such as amputations, fractures and burns) to employees were reported (a rate of 78.5 injuries per 100,000 employees) – compared with 22,094 in 2011/12 (a rate of 88.5 per 100,000 employees).
• 148 workers fatally injured – down from 171 the previous year. The average for the past five years was 181 worker deaths per year.
• Workplace injuries and ill-health (excluding work-related cancer) cost society an estimated £13.8 billion in 2010/11 compared with £16.3 billion in 2006/07 (both in 2011 prices).

Judith Hackitt (pictured), chair of HSE, said: ‘This year’s figures demonstrate that Britain continues to improve its health and safety performance, with important falls in the number of workers fatally injured and the number of employees suffering major injuries.

‘But we still see too many deaths and injuries occur in the workplace, many of which could have been prevented through simple safety measures. Getting this right is the key to ensuring that everyone can make it home safely at the end of their working day.

‘As the economy grows, new and inexperienced additions to the workforce can increase the risk of injuries to workers. We’re committed to helping employers understand that health and safety is about sensibly and proportionately managing risks and ensuring people understand the risks involved not creating unnecessary paperwork.’

There has also been little change in the industries in which workers are most likely to be injured by their jobs – with construction (156.0 major injuries per 100,000 employees), agriculture (239.4 major injuries per 100,000 employees), and waste and recycling (369.8 major injuries per 100,000 employees) among the higher-risk sectors.