Fresh figures from The Health and Safety Executive show a measurable decline in the number of employees killed or seriously injured at work over the past year.
Industry and the safety sector is often accused of not doing enough to protect workers, sites and surrounding communities.
Only last month, HSE chair Judith Hackitt launched a stinging attack against the UK press, accusing them of “mocking” the safety efforts of industry.
Certainly, whilst more must be done to prevent major incidents such as West Texas and mitigate the fallout, the new figures show that at a personal safety level vast improvements are being made.
11% drop in major injuries compared to 2011/12
The study by the HSE found:
- An 11% drop in major injuries compared to 2011/12
- The number of people killed at work dropped to 148 in 2012/13 compared to 171 in 2011/12
- 19,707 major injuries such as amputations and burns were reported in 2012/13, a notable fall to the 22,094 in 2011/12
HSE cautiously optimistic
HSE chair Judith Hackitt welcomed the new figures, saying they underscored the commitment of British employers to improving safety for workers.
But Ms Hackitt cautioned that more still needs to be done.”We are still seeing too many deaths and injuries occur in the workplace many of which could have been prevented through simple safety measures.”
The HSE official said industry must get things “right” to ensure all employees “make it home safely at the end of their working day”.
