Launching the latest work-related fatal injury statistics today, Health and Safety Commission (HSC) Chair Sir Bill Callaghan said the loss of 241 lives is unacceptable and issued a fresh challenge to industry to place safety at the top of its priorities and do more to protect the work force.

Sir Bill said: “It is disappointing to see that the overall number of deaths has risen. We have worked hard with industry and trade unions over the past few years to bring the number down.

“Behind every one of these numbers was a man or a woman, with a life, friends and family. Despite all the negative stories written and told about over-bureaucracy and banning ‘fun’, in reality trying to stop the tragedies we are talking about today is what health and safety is all about.”

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The latest statistics presented today suggest that 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. This indicated an overall increase of 11 per cent since the last year. 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, construction has the highest total of fatal injuries and accounts for 31 per cent of all fatal injuries to workers. Other industries such as agriculture, waste and recycling and issues such as protection of vulnerable workers, particularly migrant workers also pose significant challenges.

HSE confirmed continuing focus on its inspection programme targeting the refurbishment and repair sectors as these sectors in particular have seen an increase in fatal injuries.

HSE will also be working very closely with stakeholders to address the problem to rising fatalities.

(JM/SP)