Workplace Fatalities

The HSE has released its annual figures for work related fatal injuries for 2018/2019.

The data found that 147 workers were fatally injured between April 2018 and March 2019.

These figures saw an alarming increase of fatalities over the previous year, leading to MP’s calling for action to tackle this increase.

The three most common causes of fatal injuries continue to be (see fig 1)

• Workers falling from height (40)
• being struck by a moving vehicle (30)
• being struck by a moving object (16)

Fig1 Injuries by type

The figures show fatal injuries are spread across the different industrial sectors. Agriculture, forestry and fishing and the construction sectors continue to account for largest share of the fatalities (32 and 30 deaths respectively).

Businesses and workplaces should complete a Risk Assessment to assess and control risks in the workplace and comply with health and safety law.  The results of the assessment will highlight any areas that need addressing.

More details about risk assessment can be found on the HSE website HERE

Workplace organisation/Site safety and practice

Risks of accidents involving vehicles can be reduced by installing barriers, guards and partitions on site, particularly where forklifts or lifting machinery is involved.

For more information about the HSE Annual Workplace Fatality Report. You can view the full report HERE

Risk Management

Looking at the results from the HSE annual work related fatalities report we can determine two main areas that require extra attention to reduce these figures.

• Working at height
• Workplace organisation/Site safety and practice

Working at height 

Risks can reduced by using the correct equipment. Whether its appropriate size ladder or steps for your workplace or ensuring you have the appropriate size work platform and guards to prevent employees risk of falls.

Workplace organisation/Site safety and practice

Risks of accidents involving vehicles can be reduced by installing barriers, guards and partitions on site, particularly where forklifts or lifting machinery is involved.

For more information about the HSE Annual Workplace Fatality Report. You can view the full report HERE