Number of Work-Related Deaths in UK Rises

According to figures recently released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), between April 2014 and March 2015, there were 142 work-place deaths across the UK.

In comparison, 136 UK-based workers were fatally injured in 2013-14.

Meanwhile, in Ireland, between 2013 and 2014, the number of people who were killed in work-related accidents, rose from 47 to 56.

Commenting, Shelley Frost, who is the Executive Director of Policy for the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), stated:

"It is disappointing that the overall number of work-related deaths has risen in the past 12 months.

"Every death at work is an avoidable tragedy and IOSH's priority to inform and raise awareness on OSH issues remains relevant to improve safety and health standards across industries.

"The wave of positive change towards better safety, health and wellbeing at work is growing. IOSH has noticed an increasing number of businesses are seeing how embracing safety and health can bring genuine returns, not just for their workers but also in terms of their overall performance and reputation.

"We hope that this positive change brings positive results in the future. In the meantime, we will continue to shape our activities and focus to deliver a world of work which is safe, healthy and sustainable wherever we can."

With regards to occupational cancers, the HSE data shows that in 2013, 2,538 people in the UK died from the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma – dropping from 2,548 in 2012.

To address the problem of occupational cancer in the UK, IOSH launched of the No Time to Lose campaign, which is deigned to raise awareness of the issue.

Commenting further, Ms Frost said:

"The fact that over 2,500 people died from mesothelioma following past exposure to asbestos reiterates the importance that employers, regulators, safety practitioners and workers take action to avoid people being exposed to carcinogens at work.

"It is likely that many of these deaths were as a result of being exposed to asbestos in the workplace years – if not decades – earlier. Eradicating the risk now will prevent the future generation suffering a similar fate."

The number of agricultural workers who were killed, rose from 27 in 2013-14 to 33 in 2014-15.

Commenting, Alan Plom, who is the Vice-Chair IOSH's Rural Industries Group, stated:

"Farming remains the most dangerous industry in Britain with the highest rate of fatal injuries.

"As farming is a 24/7 industry we will be extending our support of Farm Safety Week into the weekend. We will be updating on the No Time to Lose campaign in relation to farming and other rural industries, and publishing other useful information to help reduce the toll of injuries and ill health."

It's not all bad news however as the HSE figures show that over the last 20 twenty years, the number of work-related deaths in the UK has fallen by more than fifty per cent (50%).

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