Accident figures reveal that although there has been one more fatality this year than last, rising employment rates mean lower death rates.

Statistics released by the HSE recorded 72 fatal injuries within construction for the year 2004/5, an increase of one on the previous 12 months. However, due to the rise in employment the injury rate is lower than ever before. Fatal injuries to construction staff have fallen by 3% in the year to 3·48 per 100 000 workers. This is the lowest level on record.

Rosi Edwards, acting chief inspector of construction, said: “We can take some encouragement from the continued decrease in the rate of fatalities. However, the fact remains that 72 workers were killed in incidents, most of which could have been prevented with sensible risk control. This is still unacceptably high, every fatality is one too many.”

Falls from height accounted for 28 of the 72 deaths. This is a reduction on the previous year but it is still the largest proportion of injuries. The HSE is continuing to work with the industry to gain improvements in the management of health and safety. It continues to support the Strategic Forum for Construction and the plans drawn up at the Construction Summit in February of this year.

The fatal injury rate has fallen 25% since the baseline of 1999/2000. This is in addition to the major injury rate falling by 15% and the employee over-three-day accident rate tumbling 25%.

However, Edwards concluded, stating: “It is only by industry showing leadership, working in partnership and taking ownership of the management of risk that improvements will continue to be made.”

After falls from height, the most common kinds of fatal injury are: being struck by a moving/falling object, being struck by a vehicle and contact with electricity.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor

Postscript

The ECA’s own ZAP initiative has shown a 61% reduction in reportable major injuries since 2001, surpassing the target of a 40% drop by the end of 2005. The initiative has ensured that ECA operatives are safer than other electrical contractors.