The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recorded 30 fatal injuries to construction workers last year, according to new figures.

The figure, which was recorded between April 2016 and March 2017, has set a record for the lowest number on record for the sector. The annual average for the past five years is 39.

The data is part of HSE's annual release for work-related fatalities. Overall, 137 industrial workers were fatally injured between April 2016 and March 2017, the second lowest year on record.

Elsewhere, there were 92 members of the public fatally injured in accidents connected to work in 2016/17. Almost half of these occurred on railways with the remainder occurring across a number of sectors including public services, entertainment and recreation.

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Mesothelioma, one of the few work related diseases where deaths can be counted directly, contracted through past exposure to asbestos killed 2,542 in Great Britain in 2015 compared to 2,519 in 2014.

The current figures relating to asbestos-related cancer reflect widespread exposures before 1980. Annual deaths are therefore expected to start to reduce after this current decade.

HSE said while there has been a long-term downward trend in the number of fatal injuries to workers, in recent years the trend shows signs of levelling.

HSE Chair Martin Temple said: "Every fatality is a tragic event that should not happen. While we are encouraged by this improvement on the previous year, we continue unwaveringly on our mission to prevent injury, death and ill health by protecting people and reducing risks.

"We deal daily with the causes and consequences of work-related deaths, injuries and ill health. Today's updated figures continue to inform our understanding of which areas we need to target."

(LM/MH)