Around 1.3 million workers suffered from work related ill-health and there were 609,000 workplace injuries in 2016/17, according to the latest annual statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The statistics, compiled by HSE from the Labour Force Survey and other sources, cover work-related ill health, workplace injuries, working days lost, costs to Britain and enforcement action taken.
Top line statistics show that in 2016/17 there were:
- 137 fatal injuries in Britain’s workplaces
- 70,116 other injuries reported by employers
- 12,000 lung disease deaths estimated to be linked to past work exposures
- 554 cases prosecuted with fines from convictions totalling £69.9 million
Though there were fewer prosecutions taken in 2016/17, the statistics show an increase in fines compared to the 2015/16 total of £38.8 million. The HSE also highlights that new sentencing guidelines in England and Wales were introduced in 2016, and twenty large fines accounted for £30.7 million of the new figure. Fines are not collected by HSE but are levied by the courts in criminal cases and paid to HM Treasury.
“These latest figures should act as a spur to reduce the impact of ill-health and injury on Britain’s workforce and businesses and we cannot rest on our reputation,” commented Martin Temple, HSE Chair.
“We will only achieve long term improvement by a collective approach to improve workplace standards,” he added. “Poor standards lead to poor health and increased injuries, which is bad for the workforce and business.”
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