WIREDGOV

The number of employees being killed or injured at work is at its lowest level since the inception of the modern health and safety system 35 years ago.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act was introduced on 1st October 1974, a year in which 651 people were killed in work related incidents.

Last year, statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showed 180 people died as a result of work based activity.

Since the legislation was introduced, there has been steady decline in work related deaths but HSE officials say that people are still dying as a result of preventable accidents at work.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 was brought in by then Secretary of State, Michael Foot and in the years since, the number of fatal injuries to employees has fallen by 73 percent while the number of reported non-fatal injuries by 70 percent.

The most recent statistics from 2006 show Britain had the lowest rate of fatal injuries in the EU While Europe averaged 2.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers the UK figure was just 1.3.

Whilst the reduction in heavy industry in Great Britain is one of the factors that has affected the statistics, the introduction of a law to protect workers lives and safety at work has clearly helped to drive improvements and save lives.

HSE say its mission is an ongoing challenge, but one it relishes as much today as it did 35 years ago. The organisation launched a new strategy this year to coordinate the drive for those working in the health and safety system and continue to drive down death and injury in the workplace.

Judith Hackitt, Chair of HSE said it is important to reflect on how working conditions have changed for the better over the last 35 years.

She said: “Since the introduction of the Act, safety performance has improved by more than 70 per cent. We now have one of the best combined health and safety records of any country in the world.  

“While we can be rightly proud of this reduction, the sobering statistic is that 180 people who left for work last year did not return home to their families, and several thousand more suffered early deaths caused by disease and illness which was linked to their work.

“Our aim has always been and will always be to keep reducing the amount of needless, work related deaths year on year.”

Notes to Editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to prevent death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement.
2. An HSE report shows in the year ending March 2009 180 people died due to work- related incidents, down from 233 the previous year and the lowest number since records began in 1974. This compares with 495 deaths in 1981, 368 in 1991, 251 in 2001 and 217 in 2005-2006
3. The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) was formed on 1st October 1974. The operating arm of the Commission, The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was established on 1st January 1975. The two merged in April 2008.

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