Article Index:
Executive Summary of the HSE Report: Kind of accident statistics in Great Britain, 2023
This article provides an executive summary of the annual statistics on the kind of accidents that have occurred in Great Britain up to March 2023, as detailed in the HSE report.
1. 135 Workers Killed in Work-Related Accidents
The HSE report reveals that in the year 2022/23, a total of 135 workers were killed due to work-related accidents. This figure includes both employees and self-employed individuals. The source of this information is RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) 2022/23 (Page 5).
2. Estimated 561,000 Workers Sustained Non-Fatal Injuries
According to self-reports from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), an estimated 561,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries in the year 2022/23. These injuries range from minor to serious, with the serious ones requiring reporting by employers under RIDDOR (Page 5).
3. 60,645 Reported Incidents to Employees
In the same year, there were 60,645 reported incidents to employees that resulted in more than seven days absence from work or were specified on a pre-defined list of injuries. However, it is believed that non-fatal injuries to employees are significantly underreported by employers, with current levels of reporting estimated at around half (Page 5).
4. Three Accident Kinds Account for 60% of Fatal Injuries
Falls from a height, being struck by a moving vehicle, and being struck by a moving, including flying/falling, object accounted for 60% of the fatal injuries to workers over the last five years (Page 6).
5. 27% of All Fatal Injuries Are Due to Falls from a Height
Falls from a height accounted for 27% of all fatal injuries, with an average of 35 fatalities per year. 54% of all fatalities caused by falls from a height were in the construction sector, averaging 19 per year (Page 7).
6. 18% of All Fatal Injuries Are Due to Being Struck by a Moving Vehicle
Being struck by a moving vehicle accounted for 18% of all fatal injuries, with an average of 25 fatalities per year. 30% of all these fatalities were in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector, averaging 7 per year. A further 21% of deaths were in the transportation and storage sector, averaging 5 per year (Page 7).
7. Two Accident Kinds Account for Half of All Non-Fatal Injuries
Slips, trips or falls on the same level and injuries sustained while handling, lifting or carrying accounted for around half of all employer-reported non-fatal injuries to employees in 2022/23 (Page 8).
8. Acts of Violence Account for 8% of Reported Non-Fatal Injuries
While acts of violence accounted for 8% of reported non-fatal injuries overall, in human health and social work activities, public administration and defence; compulsory social security and education, it was the second most common accident kind, accounting for between 17% (education) and 26% (human health and social work activities) of the non-fatal injuries in these industry sectors (Page 9).
9. Fractures Account for Around 90% of All Reported Specified Injuries
Fracture (other than to fingers, thumbs, or toes) is the biggest specified injury category, accounting for around 90% of all reported specified injuries in 2022/23 (Page 9).
10. Slips, Trips or Falls on Same Level Account for 46% of All Specified Injuries
Slips, trips or falls on the same level accounted for a larger percentage of specified injuries than over-7-day injuries in 2022/23: 46% of all specified injuries compared with 26% of over-7-day injuries (Page 10).
Conclusion
This summary provides a snapshot of the key findings from the HSE report on accident statistics in Great Britain for the year 2022/23. The report highlights the most common types of accidents that result in fatal and non-fatal injuries to workers. It is clear that more needs to be done in terms of safety measures and regulations to reduce these numbers in the future.
