Report shows no progress on work safety

New figures published by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) show a fall in workplace deaths but no significant change in major injuries.

The HSC said in November that 226 people were killed in work-related accidents during 2002-03, 25 fewer than 2001-02. But there were 28,426 major injuries to employees reported, slightly more than last year.

HSC chair Bill Callaghan said: "I am not surprised at these figures - they confirm the size of the occupational health problems we face and that progress on reducing injuries has broadly reached a plateau. I am disappointed that we have still not seen a step-change in health and safety performance."

The rate of reported major injury to employees (injuries relative to the working population) increased in 2002-03 by nearly 2%. It rose in the agriculture, construction, manufacturing and services sectors, and fell in the extractive and utility supply sector.

The most common cause of major injury to employees continues to be slipping and tripping, accounting for 37% of all major injuries.

Other significant causes include being struck by a moving or falling object, falling from a height and handling, lifting or carrying objects.

The number of reported injuries leading to three days' sick leave fell last year, as did the rate of over-three-day injuries.

There were no new data on number of working days lost from work-related injury and ill health this year, such as stress and back pain.

Highlights of the figures are available at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overpic.htm