The JIB figures for reportable accidents in 2003 reveal that the safety performance of the electrical contracting industry is continuing to improve, with a 28% fall since since 2001.
The JIB figures for 2003 show a reduction in the number of RIDDOR-reportable accidents. This confirms the reliability of the 2002 figures and the impact the ECA’s Zero Accident Potential (ZAP) initiative is having since its 2001 launch.

Since 2001 reportable accidents have fallen by 28%. In addition, major injuries have also gone down by over 30%. This puts the electrical contracting industry on target to achieve the ECA ZAP initiative improvement targets of a 30% reduction for all reportable accidents and 40% for major injuries by the end of 2005.

Alex Meikle, head of employee relations at ECA, said: “The continued improvement in accident figures for both 2002 and 2003 is certainly encouraging. The ECA has always been at the forefront of electrical safety and I have no doubt that general safety awareness in the industry has greatly improved in the last two years as a result of the ZAP initiative.”

Outlining new initiatives for 2004-05, the ECA’s health and safety advisor Paul Reeve commented: “Reportable accidents have dropped by around a third in two years, and the reduction in the number of falls from height is good news. However, manual handling accidents have increased and now account for over 25% of the total. This means that we need to focus on providing practical advice in this area. In addition we will be contacting some of the best and worst safety performers to find out what the best are doing right and how we can help those whose safety performance is not what it could be.”

  • In stark contrast, construction as a whole has been branded the most dangerous industry in Britain by the National Audit Office. In 2002-2003 construction accounted for 71 out of 226 work-related deaths, with a further 4780 construction workers suffering serious injury. This is three times the average for the main industry sectors.

    The NAO blames these figures on public sector bodies who choose lowest cost projects over ‘whole life costs’ that take into account health and safety measures.

    • Source

    Electrical and Mechanical Contractor