Launching Statistics of Fatal Injuries (PDF format, 150kb) Health and Safety Commission chair Sir Bill Callaghan said the loss of life was “unacceptable” and urged industry to place safety at the top of its priorities.

Today’s provisional figure of 241 fatal injuries in 2006/07 corresponds to a rate of fatal injury of 0.80 per 100,000 workers. The final figures for 2005/06 were 217 and 0.72 respectively; these were the lowest annual figures on record.

This year's figure is an overall increase of 11% since the last year. Although the HSC says a long-term downward trend is still clear, the rate of decrease has slowed over the last 15 years and there has been very little change in the overall rate over the last five years.

Construction has the highest total of fatal injuries and accounts for 31% of all fatal injuries to workers. Agriculture, waste and recycling and issues such as protection of vulnerable workers, particularly migrant workers also pose “significant challenges”.

The HSE says its monitoring systems had picked up an increase in fatalities in construction during the year, and that it was continuing its focus on its inspection programme targeting the refurbishment and repair sectors which have seen a particular increase in fatal injuries.

HSE chief executive Geoffrey Podger said: “Those who are putting the lives of their workforce at risk should know that HSE takes this very seriously. In the past year we have approved 25% more prosecutions than the year before and our inspectors have served 1,000 more enforcement notices. No one should believe that they can get away with serious breaches of health and safety.”

Key figures from the HSE
The provisional figure for the number of workers fatally injured in 2006/07 is 241, and corresponds to a rate of fatal injury of 0.80 per 100,000 workers. In 2005/06, the finalised figures were 217 and 0.72 respectively; these were the lowest annual figures on record.
Although a long-term downward trend is still clear, the rate of decrease has slowed over the last 15 years and there has been very little change in the overall rate over the last five years.
Of the main industrial sectors, agriculture and construction have the highest rates of fatal injury. Together these two sectors account for 46% of fatal injuries to workers.
Falling from a height continues to be the most common kind (type) of accident, accounting for 19% of fatal injuries to workers in 2006/07. Over the last decade there has been steady and significant reduction in fatal injuries due to this type of accident. Being struck by a moving or falling object, and being struck by a moving vehicle, are the next most common kinds of fatal accident.
There were 90 members of the public fatally injured in 2006/07 (excluding railways-related incidents). The number of member of the public incidents reported has not shown any significant change over time.

Worker fatalities by main industry
In agriculture there were 34 fatalities and the rate of fatal injury was 8.1 deaths per 100,000 workers. The rate of fatal injury to workers has fluctuated in recent years with no statistically significant trend.
In construction there were 77 fatalities and the rate of fatal injury was 3.7 deaths per 100,000 workers. Over the past 15 years there has been a statistically significant downward trend in the rate of fatal injury to workers; on average a 3.9% year on year decrease. However, the higher number and rate for 2006/07 changes a pattern consistent with continued reduction up to 2005/06 into one of no change since 2002/03.
In manufacturing there were 35 fatalities and the rate of fatal injury was 1.1 per 100,000 workers. The rate of fatal injury to workers has fluctuated in recent years with no statistically significant trend.
In the services sector there were 85 fatalities, and the rate of fatal injury was 0.35 deaths per 100,000 workers. Since 1998/99, the trend in the rate of injury in this sector has remained largely unchanged.