The offshore industry has recorded its lowest number of deaths and major injuries for a decade.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) accident and injury statistics showed the industry had suffered two deaths and 39 major injuries in 2006-07, compared with the same number of fatalities and 50 major injuries in 2005-06.
HSE chief executive Geoffrey Podger said that, while the figures were a sign of progress being made, the industry’s rate of less serious injuries involving three or more days off work had improved little since 2003, and in the latest figures was up 7%.
The situation was not so good in Wales, where the HSE’s figures showed work-related fatalities across all industries had risen slightly over the previous 12-month period.
Fourteen fatalities were reported to all enforcement authorities in 2006-07, compared with 12 the previous year, said the HSE.
The slight increase followed two consecutive decreases since 2003, it added.
