Health and Safety Commission reveals workplace deaths increased by 11% in 2006

The number of workplace deaths in the UK rose by 11% last year, figures from the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) have revealed.

The number of workers fatally injured in 2006-07 was 241, corresponding to a rate of 0.80 per 100,000 workers.

In 2005-06, the finalised figures were 217 and 0.72 respectively.

HSC chair Bill Callaghan said the loss of so many lives was “unacceptable”, and issued a fresh challenge to industry to place safety at the top of its priorities.

“Behind every one of these numbers was a man or a woman, with a life, friends and family,” he said.

Although a long-term downward trend is still clear, the rate of decrease has slowed over the past 15 years, and there has been very little change in the overall rate of deaths in the past five years.

Of the main industrial sectors, construction has the highest total of fatal injuries, and accounts for 31% of all fatal injuries to workers.

Manufacturers’ organisation the EEF urged employers to step up efforts to improve health and safety performance.

Director general Martin Temple said: “The number of deaths at work remains unacceptable and, while there were fewer deaths in manufacturing, the fact the overall number has increased shows that employers need to redouble their efforts.”

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Source: Health and Safety Commission