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Home | News & events | Legal updates | 31% drop in fatal accidents as recession bites

31% drop in fatal accidents as recession bites

16 August 2010

Provisional fatal accident figures issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for 2009-10 reveal a second year of sharp drops, particularly in the construction sector.

Although the figures exclude a number of accidents such as deaths while travelling at work (for example by road, rail and air) 151 ‘workers’ were killed in the period, 31% below the five year average figure of 220.

Fatal accidents in the construction industry have traditionally held a shameful top spot when compared to other sectors regulated by the HSE (although accident numbers in agriculture tend to top the table when it comes to deaths per 100,000 workers).

However, as health and safety at work has continued to improve over the years, the number of fatal accidents has dropped by 5-10% year-on-year for most of the last decade. In the last two years, though, we have seen drops of over 25% in 2008-9, followed by nearly 20% for the most recent year, meaning fatal accidents in the construction sector have halved in just four years.

The obvious reason for the particularly large drops in the last two years is the UK and global recessions which have hit the housebuilding and property markets harder and for longer than most. However, there are a number of underlying reasons (other than just the steep drop in activity) for these startling figures. These include:

• a number of older, more experienced workers leaving the construction industry, some of whom may have had a more relaxed attitude towards modern health and safety standards
• a steep reduction in the number of young people being taken on as apprentices and new workers entering the construction industry
• better health and safety systems and practices (numbers of fatal accidents have fallen year on year for over a decade in spite of increased construction activity so clearly the industry was doing something right before the recession)
• fewer foreign workers coming and working on UK construction sites, often with a poor grasp of English and a more relaxed attitude to our strict health and safety culture in the UK

Whilst the figures are a positive step and make interesting reading, accidents are by their very nature freak events that can occur at any time, so they should not lead to complacency.

All businesses should ensure that the policies and procedures they have in place are up to date and implemented throughout the organisation. A fine for a health and safety breach may be more devastating to a company’s bottom line than the impact of a recession.

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Philip Ryan

Associate
T: 03700 86 8915
I: +44 (0)118 965 8915
E: philip.ryan@shoosmiths.co.uk