HSE release latest workplace fatalities details

There were 135 workplace fatalities in Great Britain in the last year, according to the latest statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE),

This is an increase from 123 the previous year.

The annual data covers the period from April 2022 to March 2023.

The industry with the highest number of workplace fatalities was construction.

In fact, 45% of the workplace fatalities took place in the construction industry.

The three most common causes of fatal injuries from across all business sectors were:

• Falls from height (40)
• Being struck by a moving object (29)
• Being struck by a moving vehicle (20).

However, despite the increase, this year’s figure is actually in line with pre-pandemic levels.

The number of workplace fatalities for 2020/21 was 145, so this year’s total shows a decrease.

Additionally, HSE published the annual figures for mesothelioma, a cancer caused by past exposure to asbestos.

The figures show 2,268 people died from the disease in 2021. This is a fall of 302 compared with the 2,570 deaths in 2020.

Plus, it’s substantially lower than the average of 2,520 mesothelioma deaths per year over the period 2012-2019.

Asbestos-related diseases take decades to develop. In fact, most people with them today were exposed before the tightening of controls and the use of asbestos was banned in 1999.

For the HSE statistics and statement in full, click here.