An investigation by construction union UCATT has revealed that the number of construction deaths in Kent has increased dramatically.

There were a total of four construction deaths in Kent in 2012/13 compared to just one in the previous reporting year. The figures are particularly disturbing as there were only five construction deaths for the whole of the south east in 2012/13.


The sharp increase in construction deaths in Kent came at a time when fatalities in the whole of the UK fell last year. The Health and Safety Executive have stated there were a total of 39 construction fatalities in 2012/13 compared to 49 in 2011/12.

Jerry Swain, Regional Secretary for UCATT's London and South East Region, said: "Each one of these deaths was an individual tragedy, where someone's loved one did not come home one night. The vast majority of construction deaths are entirely preventable and everyone involved in the industry should be working far harder to reduce fatalities."

In 2012/13 in the UK, the most common type of fatal construction accident was falls from heights which led to 23 deaths, 60% of all deaths recorded.

(CD/JP)