UNISON questions HSE work deaths figure

Provisional figures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) last month show that the number of people killed at work in Britain fell to a record low last year. One hundred and fifty-one workers were killed between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010 compared to 178 deaths in the previous year and an average of 220 over the last five years.

But public services union UNISON said the HSE statistics grossly underestimate the real figure. It believes that the real death toll is ten times higher than reported. UNISON head of health and safety Hope Daley said: “We estimate that 1,600 deaths are caused by work-related incidents each year – a huge difference from the official HSE 151. On top of this there are up to 50,000 more deaths from work-related illnesses, including cancers, respiratory illnesses and heart disease.

“These statistics also do not include deaths of members of the public, work-related suicide, and road traffic accidents while driving for work. The death toll at work is truly horrific. Now is not the time for the government to relax health and safety laws.”