HSE falling short on ill-health and days-lost targets

Jocelyn Dorrell | News | HSP
29.10.2008

The latest annual statistics on work-related health and safety suggest the HSE is not on track to meet reduction targets for ill health or days lost per worker.

According to the Health and Safety Statistics 2007/08 report - which draws together data from the Labour Force Survey, RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) reports and enforcement activity, among other sources - 2.1 million people were suffering from an illness they believe was caused or worsened by work, and 34 million working days were lost (1.4 per worker). The overwhelming majority of days lost was due to ill health rather than injury (28 million compared to six million).

Provisional figures indicate there were 229 deaths at work in 2007/08, down from 247 the previous year but still more than in 2005/06 and 2004/05, and 136,771 injuries were reported under RIDDOR.

The HSE prosecuted 1024 offences, while local authorities prosecuted 354.

The incidence rate of self-reported work-related ill health was similar to that in 2004/05 and the report concludes the HSE is probably not on course to meet the Revitalising Health and Safety target of a 20% reduction between 1999/2000 and 2009/10.

Similarly, while there have been improvements since the base year, the HSE is not currently on track to meet its target of a 30% reduction in working days lost by 2009/10.

The news is better on fatal and major injuries, where the HSE is on course to meet its Revitalising target of a 10% reduction. Major injuries reported under RIDDOR fell by 9% between 1999/2000 and 2007/08, with over-three-day injuries falling by 25%.

But despite a falling trend in line with targets, fatal injuries statistics do raise "cause for concern": the figures fell in the early part of the 10-year period, but the rate rose from 0.6 per 100,000 in 2005/06 workers to 0.7 in 2006/07.

The HSE welcomed the reduction in major injuries, but acknowledged the rate of improvement on work-related ill health "is not as great as hoped". HSE chair Judith Hackitt said the executive was particularly concerned about agriculture, construction and the waste and recycling industries, and also about slips and trips.

Health and Safety Statistics 2007/08 can be downloaded from the HSE website.