Although most organisations make an effort to limit the risk of employees suffering from workplace injuries, many employers don’t consider the troubling aftermath that would arise if an on-site injury resulted in a fatality. Recent data from the HSE revealed that work-related deaths are more prevalent than you might realise. In fact, 147 workers were killed in 2018-19, representing an additional six fatalities compared to last year’s total. What’s more, a workplace fatality comes with a long list of potential ramifications, including hefty non-compliance fines, employers’ liability concerns, financial downfall and a severely tarnished reputation.

With this in mind, it’s crucial that you take additional steps to protect your employees from work-related death. Consider the following HSE data to bolster your organisation’s health and safety programme and avoid the costly consequences of workplace fatalities.

• High-risk industries—The three industries that contributed to the highest amount of workplace fatalities include the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector (32 deaths), the construction industry (30 deaths) and the manufacturing sector (26 deaths). Even worse, while the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry accounts for a small fraction of the overall working population, the field possesses a fatal injury rate that is 18 times as high as the all-industry rate—accounting for 20 per cent of all worker deaths this past year.
• Dangerous activities—Top causes of workplace fatalities include workers falling from height (40 deaths), being struck by a moving vehicle (30 deaths) and being struck by a moving object (16 deaths). Altogether, these instances represent nearly 60 per cent of all work-related deaths in 2018-19.
• Older workers—Even though employees over the age of 60 only make up about 10 per cent of the workforce, this population contributed to 25 per cent of work-related deaths over the past year.

For more health and safety insurance solutions, contact Lockyers today