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The latest figures for work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain have just been published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
138 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2023/24 (RIDDOR) – an increase of 2 from the previous year. Whilst, over the long-term, the trend data shows the rate of fatal injury to workers has been on a downward trend, recently (pre and post pandemic) the figures have been broadly flat. This means we’ve made little progress over the last decade. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) says the figures, published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), are of “huge concern”
Fatalities from moving vehicles has increased
Struck by a moving vehicle moved into 2nd position with 25 people not going home as a result of a collision with a moving vehicle. This is a 25% increase from 2022/23 figures and represents 18% of the total number of deaths over the year.
This is not acceptable, and we’ll continue to do everything we can to make sure sites are aware of the risks and help you eliminate plant pedestrian collisions from your workplace.
Construction sector fatalities jump
Looking at the different sectors, Construction has seen a jump in fatalities from 47 in 2022-2023 to 51 in the latest published figures (2023/2024). The average number of worker deaths in construction in the latest 2 years is statistically significantly higher than the pre-pandemic period (2016/17- 2018/19), showing there is still a lot of work to be done in this sector.
Waste and Recycling sector has an elevated rate of fatal injury
The waste and recycling sector is down two from previous year, with four fatalities. But when you look at this in the context of number of people working in the sector it’s one of the highest.
The waste and recycling sector has an elevated rate of fatal injury over this period compared to the average across all industries: 9 times as high.
Wheeled loading shovels are particularly dangerous and commonly used in waste and recycling. In 2021 the HSE issued a safety notice in response to the number of fatalities seen in this industry. Poor forward visibility and reversing were some of the causes. We've calculated that the blind spot for the driver and cameras at the front of the loading shovel can be up to 30m!
What can we do?
Something I’ve heard a lot from customers is the word complacency. The Collins dictionary defines complacency as: a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like.
Have you seen complacency creep in in your work environment?
Having aids, such as our proximity warning systems, is a great step. Giving a member of your team a tag makes sure that the potential dangers are front of mind. It’s a constant reminder that they have a role to play in their own safety.
Plus, our data gives you a tool for knowing what is going on. Who, where, and when complacency may be creeping in. Then you can make changes and involve staff with the continuous programme of training and review.
Let’s work together to reduce the risks and eliminate plant pedestrian collisions.
Read the full stats here.