The Health and Safety Executive is marking its 40th anniversary with an appeal for Lincolnshire businesses to put the wellbeing of workers centre stage during the new financial year.
The safety drive comes against the backdrop of fresh figures which show that two people lost their lives at work across Lincolnshire in 2013/14 with 1,252 suffering injuries. These numbers compare with two deaths and 1,286 injuries in Lincolnshire during the previous year.
Samantha Peace, HSE regional director for the East Midlands said: “The families of the workers in Lincolnshire who sadly lost their lives last year have just had to spend the festive period without their loved ones, while thousands of other workers were made ill through their work or had their lives changed forever by a major injury.
The figures “offer encouragement that we are continuing to head in the right direction”, but Ms Peace cautioned that they also “show that we can still go further and challenge the industries where there is room to do more”.
“Workplace conditions have improved dramatically in the past four decades, but as employers plan and prepare for the new financial year they need to ensure that health, safety and welfare is a clear focus.”
Health and safety national statistics
The Lincolnshire statistics, which show around 14,100 people were estimated to have fallen ill through work over the same period, were extracted from national safety figures.
Across Great Britain, 133 deaths occurred at work in 2013/14 with over 79,500 injuries formally reported through RIDDOR. An estimated 1.1 million people were also found to have been made ill.
The new safety statistics mark a huge reduction in incidents since the HSE established in January 1975 to enforce the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
HSE chair Judith Hackitt, welcomed the decline but warned against complacency on the part of employers when it comes to competently carrying out their health and safety requirements.
“In the forty years since HSE was formed, we’ve worked with businesses, workers and government to make Britain a healthier and safer place to work,” commented Ms Hackitt.
“Thousands of serious injuries have been prevented and work-related deaths have reduced by 85 per cent. HSE has helped Britain become one of the safest places to work in the world.”
But she underscored the need to stay mindful of the fact that there is “still a big challenge to prevent the suffering which does still occur”.
Ms Hackitt explained: “Seeing the annual statistics always leads to mixed emotions, sympathy for those who have suffered injury themselves and for the families and workmates of those who have lost their lives, determination to improve things further as well as encouragement that we are continuing to make progress in reducing the toll of suffering.
“For the last eight years we have consistently recorded one of the lowest rates of fatal injuries to workers among the leading industrial nations in Europe.
“However, in HSE’s 40th year it is right that we acknowledge the progress we’ve made and look to a future of striving to bring down these statistics even further.”
According to the figures, workers in construction, manufacturing and waste and recycling are most at risk. Agriculture was also pinpointed as industry where sustained improvement is needed.
The following table lists the numbers of deaths and injuries to workers across Lincolnshire during 2013/14.
| Local Authority |
2013-14 Fatalities |
2013-14 Injuries |
2013-14 Work-related illness |
| Boston |
160 |
1,200 |
|
| East Lindsey |
190 |
2,600 |
|
| Lincoln |
193 |
1,900 |
|
| North Kesteven |
164 |
2,200 |
|
| South Holland |
215 |
1,600 |
|
| South Kesteven |
1 |
189 |
2,900 |
| West Lindsey |
1 |
141 |
1,700 |
| Lincolnshire TOTAL |
2 |
1,252 |
14,100 |
| GB TOTAL |
133 |
79,575 |
1,155,000
|
The full statistics, including comparisons to previous years, are available here
