Work Related Deaths Published
1 August 2023
The HSE have released the latest figures for work related deaths. They have reported that 135 workers were killed in work related incidents in Great Britain from April 2022 – March 2023. This is up from 123 work related deaths reported in the previous year.
The industries with the highest deaths were construction reporting 45, followed by the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector at 21, then the manufacturing sector and the transportation and storage sector, both reporting 15 work related deaths.
The most frequently reported injures were:
- Falls from height
- Being struck by a moving object
- Being struck by a moving vehicle
The HSE issued over £2m in fines in June 22, with 2 workplace fatalities. The largest fine was for £660k after an employee for an aircraft seat manufacturer, fell 7 foot from a roof. This resulted in injuries including a fractured skull, multiple broken bones and a bleed on the brain. The HSE found inadequate planning of the work at a height and insufficient training from the employer.
In two other separate cases, one employer lost 3 fingers after attempting to repair a machine and another employee lost 2 fingers and a thumb when trying to clear a blockage from a machine. The HSE fined the employer in the first case £80k. They found inadequate training had been given along with a lack of supervision. In the second case, the HSE fined the employer £180k after finding no formal or written risk assessment.
The HSE issued a fine of £50k to a plastics manufacturing company after an outbreak of Legionella disease. The company had failed to maintain their water cooling towers, allowing the bacteria to grow and exposed employees and members of the public to a risk of significant ill health. In this case, proactive management of the risk of Legionella bacteria was not taken by the employer.
In another case, a private health care provider was fined £160k after 3 of their worker were exposed to chlorine gas. The HSE found that the employer had not ensured the health and safety of it’s employees or contractors. They had failed to put in place adequate risk assessments or training to ensure safe systems of work.
Following these events, employers should ask themselves:
- Are all your risk assessments routinely reviewed?
- Are they still suitable and sufficient?
- Are your employees up to date with all their training needs?
For further advice, please get in touch today.
