Work-related deaths hit five-year high

Campaigners described the number of fatal injuries as "dreadful", while the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) conceded that the figures for the 12 months up to April 2007 were "unacceptable".

Outgoing HSC chairman Sir Bill Callaghan said it was down to the construction industry in particular to cut the number of people killed at work. Construction accounted for almost one third (31%) of the 241 deaths.

He told reporters: "I have to remind you that safety is ultimately the responsibility of those who manage and direct companies and those who work for them. Today's statistics are disappointing and distressing but improvements can still be made.They must be made.

"The Health and Safety Commission and Executive (HSC/E) is taking action. The ball now lies firmly in the industry's court."

Other sectors such as agriculture, waste and recycling, as well as issues such as the protection of migrant workers, also posed "significant challenges" according to the HSC.

Downward trend

The number of fatal injuries in 2005/06 was 217 - the lowest ever recorded. The latest figure of 241 represented an 11% increase over the previous 12 months, although the long-term trend remained "very clearly downward", the Commission stressed.

The HSE's chief executive Geoffrey Podger commented: "Those who are putting the lives of their workforce at risk should know that HSE takes this very seriously.

"In the past year we have approved 25% more prosecutions than the year before and our inspectors have served 1,000 more enforcement notices. No one should believe that they can get away with serious breaches of health and safety."

The figures came as the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act finally received Royal Assent. Companies whose gross negligence leads to the death of individuals will face prosecution and unlimited fines for manslaughter under the legislation, which comes into effect next April (2008).

'Greater scrutiny'

Union leaders claimed that the lack of a specific legal duty on company directors within the new law, as well as cuts to the HSE's budget, meant that workplace deaths were unlikely to fall. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the latest increase "could very well become a trend".

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said the increase in work-deaths had brought home the need for "effective leadership of health and safety management."

Roger Bibbings, RoSPA occupational safety adviser, said: "The latest fatal injury figures are disappointing and remind us all that we must not become complacent. Effective management of health and safety must be a key business goal in every organisation, and it must be led from the top with clear reporting on performance to all stakeholders.

“There has been a growing focus on the health and safety responsibilities of directors and senior managers in all organisations, particularly in the decade it has taken to secure the introduction of the new offence of corporate manslaughter."

He added: "The new Act, which will only be used when standards have fallen far below what might have been reasonably expected, makes clear that the full weight of criminal law will be brought to bear on organisations of all sizes that cause death by behaving recklessly. And, although it will target organisations and not individual directors or senior managers, investigations will lead to the behaviour of individuals coming under much greater scrutiny than before."