Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Surface engineering
| Year | Employees | Self-employed | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996/97 | - | 1 | 1 |
| 1997/98 | 1 | - | 1 |
| 1998/99 | 5 | - | 5 |
| 1999/00 | 3 | - | 3 |
| 2000/01 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2001/02 | - | - | - |
| 2002/03p | 1 | - | 1 |
| Year | Employees | Self-employed | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996/97 | 78 | 3 | 81 |
| 1997/98 | 116 | 3 | 119 |
| 1998/99 | 109 | - | 109 |
| 1999/00 | 101 | - | 101 |
| 2000/01 | 95 | - | 95 |
| 2001/02 | 95 | 2 | 97 |
| 2002/03p | 111 | 1 | 112 |
| Year | Employees | Self-employed | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996/97 | 249 | - | 249 |
| 1997/98 | 309 | - | 309 |
| 1998/99 | 284 | - | 284 |
| 1999/00 | 301 | 3 | 304 |
| 2000/01 | 302 | 1 | 303 |
| 2001/02 | 255 | 1 | 256 |
| 2002/03p | 250 | - | 250 |
| Year | Fatal | Major | Over 3 Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996/97 | - | 270.8 | 864.6 |
| 1997/98 | 3.3 | 382.8 | 1019.8 |
| 1998/99 | 17.4 | 379.8 | 989.5 |
| 1999/00 | 10.9 | 365.9 | 1090.6 |
| 2000/01 | 7.5 | 354.5 | 1126.9 |
| 2001/02 | - | 369.6 | 992.2 |
| 2002/03p | 4.0 | 445.8 | 1004.0 |
(a) as reported to all enforcing authorities
(b) per 100 000 employees
| Kind of accident | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 | 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with moving machinery | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - |
| Struck by moving, including flying/falling, object | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Struck by moving vehicle | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Trapped by something collapsing/overturning | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Drowned or asphyxiated | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Exposure to, or contact with, a harmful substance | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| Exposure to explosion | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | - | 1 |
p provisional
| Kind of accident | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 | 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with moving machinery | 8 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 12 |
| Struck by moving, including flying/falling, object | 20 | 32 | 31 | 34 | 24 | 19 | 31 |
| Struck by moving vehicle | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Strike against something fixed or stationary | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Injured while handling, lifting or carrying | 7 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 24 |
| Slips, trips or falls on same level | 14 | 17 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 24 | 19 |
| Falls from a height of which: | 13 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| - up to and inc 2 metres | 6 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| - over 2 metres | 6 | 7 | 6 | - | 7 | 3 | 2 |
| - height not stated | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | - | 3 | 1 |
| Trapped by something collapsing/overturning | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Drowned or asphyxiated | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - |
| Exposure to, or contact with, a harmful substance | 8 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 10 |
| Exposure to fire | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Exposure to explosion | - | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | - |
| Contact with electricity or electrical discharge | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 2 |
| Injured by an animal | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Not known | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Other kinds | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | - |
| Total | 78 | 116 | 109 | 101 | 95 | 95 | 111 |
p provisional
| Kind of accident | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 | 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with moving machinery | 10% | 8% | 13% | 8% | 10% | 13% | 11% |
| Struck by moving, including flying/falling, object | 26% | 28% | 28% | 34% | 25% | 20% | 28% |
| Struck by moving vehicle | 1% | 2% | 4% | 3% | 6% | 4% | 2% |
| Strike against something fixed or stationary | 3% | 4% | 5% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 1% |
| Injured while handling, lifting or carrying | 9% | 13% | 13% | 8% | 12% | 8% | 22% |
| Slips, trips or falls on same level | 18% | 15% | 8% | 13% | 16% | 25% | 17% |
| Falls from a height of which: | 17% | 17% | 15% | 11% | 16% | 11% | 5% |
| - up to and inc 2 metres | 8% | 11% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 4% | 2% |
| - over 2 metres | 8% | 6% | 6% | - | 7% | 3% | 2% |
| - height not stated | 1% | - | 1% | 2% | - | 3% | 1% |
| Trapped by something collapsing/overturning | - | - | 1% | 1% | - | 1% | 2% |
| Drowned or asphyxiated | 1% | - | 1% | 3% | 1% | - | - |
| Exposure to, or contact with, a harmful substance | 10% | 10% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 9% |
| Exposure to fire | 1% | 2% | - | - | - | 1% | 1% |
| Exposure to explosion | - | 1% | - | 2% | - | - | - |
| Contact with electricity or electrical discharge | - | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% | - | 2% |
| Injured by an animal | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1% |
| Not known | 1% | - | - | 1% | - | - | 1% |
| Other kinds | 3% | - | 1% | 1% | 1% | 3% | - |
| Total Injuries | 78 | 116 | 109 | 101 | 95 | 95 | 111 |
p provisional
| Kind of accident | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 | 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with moving machinery | 27 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| Struck by moving, including flying/falling, object | 61 | 73 | 69 | 82 | 77 | 54 | 39 |
| Struck by moving vehicle | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Strike against something fixed or stationary | 10 | 12 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 |
| Injured while handling, lifting or carrying | 73 | 102 | 90 | 106 | 105 | 86 | 91 |
| Slips, trips or falls on same level | 32 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 31 | 26 | 34 |
| Falls from a height of which: | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 11 |
| - up to and inc 2 metres | 10 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 5 |
| - over 2 metres | 2 | - | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| - height not stated | 4 | 2 | - | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Trapped by something collapsing/overturning | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | - |
| Drowned or asphyxiated | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Exposure to, or contact with, a harmful substance | 16 | 32 | 29 | 15 | 28 | 22 | 23 |
| Exposure to fire | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 |
| Exposure to explosion | - | 2 | - | 4 | - | - | - |
| Contact with electricity or electrical discharge | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Not known | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Other kinds | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Total | 249 | 309 | 284 | 301 | 302 | 255 | 250 |
p provisional
| Kind of accident | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 | 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with moving machinery | 11% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
| Struck by moving, including flying/falling, object | 25% | 24% | 24% | 27% | 26% | 21% | 16% |
| Struck by moving vehicle | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Strike against something fixed or stationary | 4% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Injured while handling, lifting or carrying | 29% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 35% | 34% | 36% |
| Slips, trips or falls on same level | 13% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 10% | 14% |
| Falls from a height of which: | 6% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 7% | 4% |
| - up to and inc 2 metres | 4% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 2% |
| - over 2 metres | 1% | - | - | 1% | 1% | * | 1% |
| - height not stated | 2% | 1% | - | * | 1% | 2% | 1% |
| Trapped by something collapsing/overturning | - | - | - | 1% | - | * | - |
| Drowned or asphyxiated | 1% | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Exposure to, or contact with, a harmful substance | 6% | 10% | 10% | 5% | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| Exposure to fire | 1% | 1% | 1% | * | - | * | 1% |
| Exposure to explosion | - | 1% | - | 1% | - | - | - |
| Contact with electricity or electrical discharge | * | * | - | - | - | * | * |
| Not known | 1% | * | - | - | - | - | * |
| Other kinds | * | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Total Injuries | 249 | 309 | 284 | 301 | 302 | 255 | 250 |
p provisional
* Percentage of injuries is less than 0.5%.
| Kind of accident | 1996/97 | 1997/98 | 1998/99 | 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with moving machinery | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Struck by moving, including flying/falling, object | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Injured while handling, lifting or carrying | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Slips, trips or falls on same level | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| Falls from a height of which: | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| - up to and inc 2 metres | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| - over 2 metres | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Injured by an animal | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Total | 3 | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
p provisional
Injury and dangerous occurrence statistics given in this report for 1996/97 - 2002/03 were compiled from reports made to HSE and local authorities under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR 95). These Regulations came into effect on 1 April 1996 and replaced RIDDOR 85, the Railways (Notice of Accidents) Order 1986, and certain provisions of the Offshore Installations (Inspectors and Casualties) Regulations 1973 and the Submarine Pipelines (Inspectors etc) Regulations 1977. Certain provisions of the Regulation of Railways Act 1871 and the Transport and Works Act 1992 were also repealed or amended.
Deaths of all employed people and members of the public arising from work activity are reportable to either HSE or the local authority. There are three categories of reportable injury to workers defined under the regulations: fatal, major and over-3-day injury. Examples of major injuries include: fractures (except to fingers, thumbs or toes), amputations, dislocations (of shoulder, hip, knee, spine) and other injuries leading to resuscitation or 24 hour admittance to hospital. Over-3-day injuries include other injuries to workers that lead to their absence from work, or inability to do their usual job, for over three days. A non-fatal injury to a member of the public is reportable if it results in the injured person being taken from the site of the incident to hospital.
Certain reporting requirements under RIDDOR 95 differ from those under the previous regulations, RIDDOR 85. For example, the definition of a major injury to workers was widened and that of members of the public was altered to include the hospital criterion. Therefore statistics of worker fatalities are comparable, but other injury statistics including major injuries and dangerous occurrences from 1996/97 cannot be compared with those for previous years. RIDDOR 95 also introduced acts of violence at work and acts of suicide or trespass on railways or other transport systems. In 2001/02, HSE introduced new guidelines to improve the quality of recording of kinds of accident and give more detail on equipment and material agents involved. As a result, there was a small change in the percentage share of in each kind, predominantly for major and over-3-day injuries.
Injuries which are not reportable under RIDDOR 95 are: road traffic accidents involving people travelling in the course of their work, which are covered by road traffic legislation; accidents reportable under separate merchant shipping, civil aviation and air navigation legislation; accidents to members of the armed forces; and fatal injuries to the self-employed arising out of accidents at premises which the injured person either owns or occupies.
Selected incidents that have a high potential to cause death or serious injury are reportable under RIDDOR 95 as dangerous occurrences. A dangerous occurrence is reportable whether or not someone is injured. Statistics reported from 1996/97 are reported under RIDDOR 95.
Injury rates for employees produced by HSE are based on employment estimates produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The Short Term Employment Survey is used to obtain top-level employment data and the Annual Business Inquiry has been used to obtain SIC 92 four-digit employment data since 2000/01; previously this was taken from the Annual Employment Survey. Such estimates are normally subject to a number of revisions based on information from the Annual Employment Survey. When HSE finalises the provisional injury statistics, rates are revised using the employment data available at that particular time. Injury rates are not revised to incorporate subsequent revisions to employment estimates by the ONS.
HSE developed the Labour Force Survey (LFS) as a source of information on workplace injury to complement the flow of the injury reports made by employers and others under RIDDOR. HSE placed a supplement of detailed questions on workplace injury in the 1990 LFS, and has placed a limited set of injury questions annually since 1993. The LFS gives estimates on the levels of workplace injury that are not subject to under-reporting, and together with the rates of reported injury, gives estimates of the levels of reporting of injuries in industries. LFS injury rates are presented as three year moving averages, to reduce annual fluctuations that stem from sampling error.
Every three years a further question is asked to establish the actual number of days off work following the workplace injury. The total working days lost figure is based on those injuries that result in at least one full day being taken off work. No estimates are made for the small proportion of people who are still off work following an injury at the time of interview, or expect never to return to work. Further results and background information are available in the LFS fact sheet.
The statistics are derived from a number of different sources, some of which are surveys and are therefore subject to sampling errors because the estimates are based on a sample rather than the whole population.