Last week, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) released its ‘Workplace Fatal Injuries in Great Britain 2020’ annual statistics.
Headline figures from the report, include:
111 workers were killed in 2019-20 RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) – this is down from 147 in 2018-19
The construction sector still accounts for the largest number of fatalities at 40 (up from 30)
Falls from height remain the main cause of fatal accident with 29 workers killed in 2019-20 (down from 40)
Over three-quarters of fatal injuries in both 2019-20 and the combined five-year period 2015-16-2019-20 were accounted for by just five different accident kinds. Falls from a height, being struck by a moving vehicle and being struck by a moving, including flying or falling, object continue as the three main causes of fatal injury, between them accounting for over half of all fatal injuries each year since at least 2001-02.
PTSG acknowledges the overall reduction in workplace accidents, but recognises that one incident, injury or worse is one too many. PTSG is a working-at-height specialist and from day one has taken an uncompromising approach to the safety of its workers and all those who come into contact with the buildings it works on. It’s an approach that has produced eight RoSPA Golds, making PTSG one of only a select number of organisations to be awarded a prestigious gold medal for the last four years in a row.
Terry Wilcock, PTSG’s Group Director for Health & Safety, said: “These improved figures should spur everyone on to keep promoting safe working at height, but they are a stark reminder that much more work needs to be done. It is worrying that falls from height remain the main cause of fatal accidents in the workplace. Our aim is to see everyone who works at height arriving home safely at the end of every working day. Training and ongoing engagement and education is, therefore, absolutely essential at every level of every organisation.”
This philosophy is very much in step with PTSG’s approach to safety where the entire team has access to the very latest training and guidance and they are continually reminded of its benefits.
