Please Note:

This accident at work site has been devised to provide mere guidance on various personal injury topics. It is always recommended to seek professional legal advice from an experienced solicitor.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the outfit responsible for enforcing and regulating health and safety in the workplace in England, Scotland and Wales (Northern Ireland is catered by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland). It was very interesting to study their national statistics covering 2009/10 that provides thorough insights that mould perfectly to the theme here of work accident compensation claims; these statisitics have certainly helped to unlock prominent areas that will be focused on over the coming months. To note: The given numbers should purely be used as rough estimations since there will always be cases whereby work injuries go unreported and providing given figures for diseases tend to be skewed since for example the signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 50 years after exposure to asbestos has been made.

Analysis of the HSE’s Work Accident Statistics | Work Injury Statistics 2009/10

How many workers die every year in the UK?
The quoted figure for this year was 152. The most problematic sector was construction accounting for 42 fatalities, whilst agriculture stood in second spot accounting for 38.

How many workers die from diseases every year in the UK?
These figures are certainly alarming, we have an estimation around the region of 8000 cancer deaths and 4000 COPD deaths. In regards to the 8000 cancer deaths, around half of these are asbestos related (including mesothlioma) and the estimated 4000 COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) deaths includes bronchitis and emphysema and results from exposure to chemicals, dusts and fumes.

How many work accidents are there every year in the UK?
We can only look at reported accidents made under RIDDOR here. There was 121,430 reported injuries broken down into 26,061 major injuries reported and 93,360 minor injuries reported. For the major injuries, slipping and tripping made up a giant 41% share, whilst falls from heights made up 16%. For the minor injuries, handling, lifting or carrying made up 36% of the share, whilst slipping and tripping made up 24%; minor covers absence from from work or the inability to do their usual job over 3 days. Just to note that fatalities and injuries in the armed forces are excluded by RIDDOR, as are injuries from work-related road collisions. A more specific ballpark figure to this overall question has been provided by the Labour Force Survey (LFS) that states that there was around 233,000 reportable injuries for that year (nearly twice the number reported).

What Occupations Are Causing the Highest Levels of Illness and Injury?
The most prominent field for illness belongs to health/social work, whilst the most prominent field for injury belongs to agriculture. These will be studied at a later date.

What Safety Is Being Enforced?
1033 offences were prosecured by HSE and ORR, whilst 287 offences were prosecuted by local authorities and 15,881 enforcement notices were issued by all enforcing authorities.

Finally, How Much Progress Has Been Made?
Over the 10 year period of 1999/00 and 2009/10, the rates of reported fatal and major injuries to workers has fell by 13%. It is noted there was an issue with a change made to the recording systems and an adjustment to this notes a total fatal and major injuries fall of 22%. The figure for minor injuries has fell by 33% over the same period. These are positive changes, but there is certainly an alarming figure for mesothelioma cases that continue to rise every year. As noted in the initial passage though, exposure from 50 years ago is still causing major problems today and unfortunately cures are exceedingly rare at this time. Hopefully in the coming years, advances in technology can make the much needed breakthrough here.