Provisional figures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have revealed a slight increase in the number of workplace fatalities in 2015/16.
Rise in Workplace Fatality Figures
According to the figures, 144 people lost their lives at work during the year, an increase of two over the previous year. These figures do not include work-related deaths from fatal diseases.
Looking at the figures in more detail:
- 43 workers died in construction — the same as the five-year average.
- 27 deaths occurred in agriculture (five-year average: 32).
- 27 deaths occurred in manufacturing (five-year average: 22), including three incidents resulting in eight deaths.
- 6 fatal injuries occurred in waste and recycling (five-year average: 7), though figures vary significantly year to year.
Geographically, the highest fatal injury rates in 2015/16 were in:
- Wales — 0.93 per 100,000 workers
- Scotland — 0.60
- Yorkshire and the Humber — 0.58
Asbestos-Related Cancer
The HSE also released figures on asbestos-related cancer. Mesothelioma — caused by past exposure to asbestos — killed 2,515 people in Great Britain in 2014, compared to 2,556 in 2013.
The HSE regularly prosecutes employers who breach asbestos safety regulations. For example, earlier this month a motor manufacturer was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay £11,779 in costs after contractors at one of its sites were exposed to asbestos risks.
An investigation found that during boiler replacement work, suspected asbestos insulating boards (AIB) were discovered beneath cladding. The asbestos register was not fully available to the contractor, and work continued without suitable precautions — including removal and cutting of holes in the AIB.
Legal Duty to Control Asbestos Exposure
“Asbestos kills around 5,000 workers each year; this is more than the number killed on UK roads,” commented HSE inspector Jane Carroll. “Asbestos can be present within any premises built or refurbished before the year 2000.”
“Whenever asbestos-containing materials are present, companies have a legal duty to document and implement an Asbestos Management Plan with measures to control the risk of exposure to asbestos fibres,” she added.
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