Lawford Kidd's Blog

Health and safety in the UK Aviation industry is to be the focus of a conference hosted by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health's (IOSH) later this month (2 July, Imperial War Museum, Duxford).

Following a number of major aviation incidents, such as the recent Germanwings plane crash, IOSH's Aviation and Aerospace Group plan to illustrate the best ways for Aviation workers/employees and bosses to prepare for and mange similar crisis'. IOSH also hope to improve industry continuity.

In the coming weeks, the focus will very much be on assessing and controlling the risks of fires and explosions in the workplace thanks to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health's (IOSH).

The organisation has arranged an event – namely, Fire and Explosion - Controlling Dangerous Substances' - aimed at helping health professionals, particularly in the chemical process industry, minimise the risks of fires and explosions.

Although there has been a general decrease in the number of injuries in the waste and recycling industry over the past few years, it continues to be one of the most high-risk sectors to work in.

High proportion of injuries

Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that although the sector accounts for only around 0.6% of British employees, it still manages to account for 2.8% of reported injuries, including 11% of all fatalities, 2.6% of major injuries and 2.8% of over-seven-day injuries.

Twelve worker fatalities in one year

Looking at the HSE provisional figures on waste and recycling for 2012/13:

One form of devastating and life-changing workplace injury experienced by too many workers in the UK is the loss of a body part, such as a limb, fingers or hands.

In some cases, the body part can become severed during the workplace accident itself, and in others the loss can occur when doctors have no choice but to carry out an amputation because of the serious nature of the injuries the worker has sustained.

Worker loses right leg

An example of this horrific type of injury was recently reported by the Health and Safety Executive. The case involved a worker at a lorry trailer manufacturer, who lost one of his legs when he was crushed by a huge fish tank that fell off the forklift truck transporting it.

Although reports of workers suffering serious or fatal injuries in the course of their work continue to occur too frequently, recent figures indicate that there has been a fall in the overall number of major injuries arising in the workplace.

Significant decline in major injuries

According to the latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive, the incidence of major injuries has fallen 11% this year compared to 2011/12.

Looking at the figures in more detail, they show that in Britain between April 2012 and March 2013: