Risks to children

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) used the opportunity of Child Safety Week in June to highlight the risks of children being killed or injured while work activities take place.

Each year a child dies and 100 major injuries are reported by the construction industry; five children die and 45 children suffer major injuries in agriculture and last year 10 children died and 13 were injured on the railway - usually as a result of trespass.

The accidents are partly due to a failure by employers to take effective steps to keep children away from dangerous areas by physical measures such as fencing and patrols.