Accidents in the Workplace: The Statistics
Going to work can be a dangerous business. Every day, UK workers suffer from accidents in the workplace that result in serious injuries. Tragically, around 3 a week of these will be fatal.
Looking at statistics about accidents in the workplace can be a useful way of avoiding future injuries. Every year, data is released by the Government’s Health and Safety Executive. Combined with statistics from accident prevention charities, this vital information can teach us lessons about accidents in the workplace.
Once we know about the common dangers, it is much easier to prevent accidents occurring in the future.
How many accidents in the workplace take place each year?
- In 2008/9, 180 workers were killed by accidents in the workplace, a rate of 0.6 per 100 000 workers.
- Government figures show that In 2008/09 there were 27, 594 major injuries caused by accidents in the workplace.
- Across the population, this translates as an injury rate of 105.1 per 100,000.
- In the same time period there were 104,301 ‘Other Injuries’ . These were less severe but still needed medical attention and at least 3 days of absence from work. In the UK every 100,000 people per 397.2 will suffer this type of injury at work.
- Not all reportable accidents are reported. The latest Labour Force Survey showed different figures to the RIDDOR figures (officially reported accidents) shown above. The LFS estimated that in 2008/9 240,000 accidents in the workplace should have been reported. This would raise the rate of injury to 870 per 100,000 workers.
What are common accidents in the workplace?
- Most accidents are caused by slipping, tripping, lifting and carrying.
Ill health and the workplace
- Last year, 1.2 million people suffered from an illness that they believed was caused or worsened by their current or previous work. 551 000 of these were new cases.
- In 2007, 2156 people died of mesothelioma (2007), a type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. NHS figures suggest that thousands of people die from other cancers and lung diseases caused by their working environment.
- 29.3 million days were lost because of workplace injury or work related health problems during 2008/9
- 24.6 million of these days were lost to work related ill health
- 4.7 million were due to injury caused by accidents in the workplace.