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Executive Summary: Transportation and Storage Statistics in Great Britain, 2023
This blog post serves as an executive summary of the HSE Report on Transportation and Storage Statistics in Great Britain for the year 2023.
1. 55,000 workers suffered from work-related ill-health
According to the Labour Force Survey (LFS), an estimated 55,000 workers in the transportation and storage sector suffered from work-related ill-health, either new or long-standing, over the period 2020/21-2022/23. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, there was an overall downward trend in self-reported work-related ill-health. However, the rate for the most recent period, which includes years affected by the pandemic, was not statistically significantly different from the 2014/15-2016/17 period (source: LFS, page 4).
2. 15 fatal injuries to workers in 2022/23
The Report on Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) recorded 15 fatal injuries to workers in the transportation and storage sector in 2022/23. This is comparable to the annual average of 14 fatalities over the five-year period 2018/19-2022/23 (source: RIDDOR, page 4).
3. 16 fatal injuries to the public in 2022/23
There were also 16 fatal injuries to members of the public in 2022/23, as per RIDDOR data. This is lower than the annual average of 29 fatalities over the five-year period 2018/19-2022/23 (source: RIDDOR, page 4).
4. 29,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries at work
Based on the LFS, an estimated 29,000 workers in this sector sustained non-fatal injuries at work over the three-year period 2020/21-2022/23. Similar to the trend in work-related ill-health, the rate of self-reported non-fatal injuries showed a downward trend prior to the coronavirus pandemic. The rate for the latest period, affected by the pandemic, was lower than the 2014/15-2016/17 period (source: LFS, page 5).
5. Transportation and storage sector accounts for 5% of jobs in Great Britain
According to the Annual Population Survey 2022, the transportation and storage sector accounts for around 5% of all jobs in Great Britain (source: Annual Population Survey, 2022, page 7).
6. 36% of all ill-health in the sector relates to Musculoskeletal Disorders
Out of the estimated 55,000 workers suffering from work-related ill-health, 36% were reported to be musculoskeletal disorders. This equates to approximately 20,000 workers (source: LFS, page 11).
7. 30% of all ill-health in the sector is due to Stress, Depression or Anxiety
Approximately 30% of all ill-health in the transportation and storage sector is attributed to stress, depression, or anxiety. This equates to an estimated 17,000 workers (source: LFS, page 14).
8. The sector recorded 15 worker fatalities in 2022/23
In 2022/23, the sector recorded 15 worker fatalities, which is comparable to the annual average number of 14 fatalities for 2018/19-2022/23 (source: RIDDOR, page 17).
9. The sector incurred an economic cost of £1.0 billion in 2021/22
The total cost of work-related ill health and injury in the transportation and storage sector in 2021/22 is estimated at £1.0 billion (source: HSE Costs to Britain, 2021/22, page 24).
10. Approximately 2 million working days were lost due to workplace injury and work-related illness
Approximately 2 million working days were lost in the transportation and storage sector due to workplace injury (21%) and work-related illness (79%). This is equivalent to around 1.4 working days lost per worker, which is not statistically different from the all-industry level of 1.1 days (source: LFS, page 25).
Conclusion
This executive summary provides a snapshot of the health and safety statistics in the transportation and storage sector in Great Britain, as detailed in the HSE Report 2023. The key findings highlight the significance of work-related ill-health and injuries in this sector, and the need for ongoing efforts to improve workplace safety and wellbeing.
