Injury statistics highlight dangers in the workplace
Havant personal injury solicitor, Vicki Wright, highlights recently published figures showing that whilst Britain continues to be one of the safest places to work in Europe, there are still too many accidents or problems relating to ill-health within our workplace.
Figures recently released by the Health & Safety Executive identify that around 28.2 million days in 2013/14 were lost due to injuries in the workplace or ill-health. “It is good news that the number of days lost are reducing but you also have to remember that in reality, these statistics relate to individuals who have been killed or injured, or have suffered ill-health purely for doing their job”, says Vicki.
The good news is that the number of fatal injuries have fallen to 133, a reduction from 150 from the previous year. Clearly, however, more needs to be done. One death or serious injury in the workplace is one too many.
The areas where the most accidents occur has not changed significantly with the construction industry, agriculture, manufacturing, and waste and recycling being amongst the higher risk areas. Vicki Wright said, “It is vital that all employers, but particularly those within these industries take extreme care to ensure that all risks are appropriately assessed and that the necessary steps are then put in place so as to avoid an accident occurring.”