Record low in work deaths may be due to recession

25 June 2009
Jocelyn Dorrell

Work deaths in Britain have fallen to a record low, with figures from the HSE revealing that 180 workers were killed at work in 2008/09 - a notable drop from 233 last year, and a 22% decrease on the average for the previous five years.

But it is not clear whether this fall is simply the result of chance variation, which is expected when dealing with relatively small numbers, or whether the recession has also had an effect.

The provisional data for the 2008/09 period, which runs from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009, indicates a fatality rate of 0.59 per 100,000 workers, which the HSE says represents a "statistically significant decrease" on the five-year average of 0.77.

The executive says the new figures represent a continuation of the underlying downward trend established in the late 1990s and early part of this decade. This trend was disrupted by what HSE statisticians have described as an apparent levelling off in recent years, and in particular by a worrying jump in workplace fatalities in 2006/07, when 247 people were killed. That increase was attributable to a sharp a rise of 25% in building site deaths.

The new statistics show a significant improvement in the construction industry, which was the centre of so much concern two years ago. There were 53 deaths in the sector in the latest reporting period, down from 72 last year, and much lower than the five-year average of 70. The rate of fatal injury has also fallen compared with the five-year average, from 3.4 to 2.4.

HSE chair Judith Hackitt said the executive very much welcomed this year's "encouraging" figures, but added, "This statistical snapshot needs careful analysis to help us understand the underlying factors, including the impact of the recession."

The evidence from previous downturns indicates that injury rates fall during a recession because fewer new, inexperienced workers are recruited and there is a lower work effort: the proportion of people working long hours falls as demand declines.

The newly released 2008/09 figures are provisional until June next year, when they will be adjusted to reflect any late reports of incidents; deaths that occur some time after the incident; and any new information arising from coroners' rulings and investigations, which can reveal whether or not an accident was work-related, for example.

Categories:
HSE, News, Accident reduction, Accident reduction

Related articles:

Construction compliance not slipping in recession November 2009

Bookmark this article with:

Share this page

Printer-friendly version

Most read
Emailed

Health	Safety	Professional Skills	Industry
Asbestos Chemicals (and COSHH) Disability Discrimination Act Ergonomics Musculoskeletal disorders Noise Sickness absence Stress/bullying Vibration Asthma Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Drugs and alcohol Risk assessment Legionnaire's disease Accident reduction Enforcement (prosecutions) Mental health New and expectant mothers Older workers Safe systems of work Smoking	Fire Directors' duties HSE Personal protective equipment (PPE) Work at height Road safety Risk assessment Corporate manslaughter Chemicals (and COSHH) Electrical safety Lifting operations Migrant workers Regulation Asbestos Confined spaces Accident reduction Accident reporting / RIDDOR First aid Safe systems of work Drugs and alcohol Emergency planning Enforcement (prosecutions) Insurance Lone workers Manual handling New and expectant mothers Noise Slips, trips, and falls Training Violence at work Work equipment Worker involvement / representation Workplace transport Young workers	Ask the recruitment expert Management skills Qualifications Training Training guides	Catering and leisure Chemicals Construction Public services Retail and distribution Transport Utilities Financial / general services Manufacturing / engineering