Work death rates soar

Fatality rates at work have shot up by 16% on the previous year, the Health and Safety Executive has reported. Whereas 147 workers lost their lives between April 2009 and March 2010, the number dying between April 2010 and March 2011 was 171. The UK work fatality rate now stands at 0.6 deaths per 100,000 workers.

The HSE is enduring cuts of 35% to its budget with frontline inspections being badly affected, so it is feared that these figures could rise again.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “The responsibility for the increase in deaths this year must be placed at the door of negligent employers, but more needs to be done to ensure that all employers protect their workers from harm”. He added: “If we are going to stop this year’s increase becoming a long-term trend we need more inspections in the workplace — not less.”

Mike Macdonald of the HSE inspectors’ union Prospect said: “The increase revealed by these figures is even more alarming given that economic output has remained stagnant over the past 12 months”

Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite general union added that “strong and effective enforcement of health and safety legislation is vital, not the cuts and deregulatory agenda being pursued by the government.”