Provisional annual data for work-related fatal accidents in Great Britain's workplaces have been released.
The long term trend has seen the rate of fatalities more than halve over the last 20 years. However, the provisional figures indicate that 144 people were killed while at work in 2015/16, which is up from 142 in 2014/15.
Martin Temple, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Chair said, "One death at work or life needlessly shortened, is one too many and behind every statistic lies a real story of loss and heartbreak and families left to grieve. Britain has one of the best health and safety systems in the world, but we should always be looking to improve and to prevent incidents that cost lives. This year the HSE travelled the country asking industry representatives, employers, unions, workers and others what they could do to help Britain work well. The response was hugely encouraging and I would like to ask people to deliver on the commitments made, that will help keep Britain's workers alive."
Comparisons of fatal injuries by country or region are based on where the accident occurred. In 2015/16, the highest fatal injury rates across all countries and regions were Wales (0.93 per 100,000 workers); Scotland (0.60 per 100,000 workers); and Yorkshire and the Humber (0.58 per 100,000 workers). However, due to the relatively small numbers and reducing some of the yearly fluctuation, when averaged across a five-year time period to 2014/15 those regions with the highest fatal injury rates were also Wales (0.81 per 100,000); Scotland (0.73 per 100,000); and Yorkshire and Humber (0.70 per 100,000).
The statistics again confirm Britain to be one of the safest places to work in Europe, having one of the lowest rates of fatal injuries to workers in leading industrial nations.
