CIOB responds to HSE data on workplace injuries and ill health

CIOB has responded to the latest HSE data on workplace injuries, ill health and fatalities. It sadly shows a rise in construction fatalities. 

Caroline Gumble, CEO at the Chartered Institute of Building, said: “While there has clearly been huge progress over the years when it comes to safety in construction, it’s concerning the number of fatalities in the sector has risen sharply by 55 per cent since last year, and is the highest of any industry according to the statistics released by the HSE today. Sadly 45 people in our sector never made it home from work and we owe it to them, their loved ones and their colleagues to continue putting health, safety and wellbeing at the forefront of every project while providing workers with the relevant training, equipment and PPE to safely carry out their jobs. Our current #PPEthatfits campaign has safety at its heart and aims to improve the provision of properly fitting PPE for everyone in the sector regardless of their size, gender or religion.

“The HSE data also shows the construction sector remains in the top two for reported workplace non-fatal injuries, closely behind agriculture, and while the risks of working in the industry compared to many other sectors will always be higher, there is clearly more to do when it comes to protecting worker safety. We will continue to do all we can to play our part in keeping this subject high on the industry’s agenda through our training academy and engagement with our members, the wider sector and policy makers.

“It’s not all bad news for construction however and it’s encouraging to see reported instances of work related ill health are lower than the average across all industries. As a sector, a great amount of work has gone into improving worker wellbeing, and while there is always more that can be done, some of that work appears to be paying off.”

Data:

• 45 fatalities in construction in 2022/2023 compared with 29 in 2021/2022 Statistics - Work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain (hse.gov.uk) and HSE Construction ebulletin: August 2023 (govdelivery.com)
• Non-fatal injuries in construction per 100,000 workers = 2,640. All industries average = 1,520 https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/
• Work related ill health in construction per 100,000 workers = 3,340. All industries average = 4,150 https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/