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RoSPA's mission is to save lives and reduce injuries

Occupational Safety : Facts & Figures

Did you know...

  • In the UK, there are still 1.6million occupational injuries every year as well as 2.2million cases of ill health caused or made worse by work
  • More than 25million working days are lost annually as a result of occupational accidents, injuries and ill-health
  • 4.7million working days were lost through occupational injury in 2008-2009
  • Health and safety failures currently cost Britain’s employers up to £6.5billion every year
  • The maximum penalties for breaching health and safety legislation are unlimited fines and up to two years in prison
  • The rate of fatal and major injuries in firms employing fewer than 50 employees (small firms) is more than twice that in firms employing more than 1,000 people
  • About 60 per cent of fatal injuries to workers occurred in construction, transport and storage, and in agriculture, forestry and fishing
  • The most common kinds of accident involved with fatal injuries are: falling from a height; being struck by a moving vehicle; and being struck by moving or falling objects
  • Slips and trips, often resulting in broken bones, are the biggest cause of major incidents. They account for 42 per cent of major injuries to employees (local authority sectors) and half of all non-fatal injuries to members of the public
  • Stress-related illness is estimated to account for about 20 per cent of reported cases of occupational ill health (about 500,000), with more new cases occurring every year
  • Car and van drivers who cover 25,000miles a year as part of their job have the same risk of being killed at work as coal miners. Work-related driving is one of the biggest single causes of all reportable accidents
  • It is estimated that 1.2million people are suffering from musculoskeletal disorders (such as back pain and repetitive strain injuries) caused by their work. An estimated 9.9million working days are lost as a result of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD)
  • There are estimated to be 50,000 to 100,000 cases of occupational dermatitis every year - skin disorders are the most common of occupational diseases
  • Around 6,000 occupational burn injuries are reported each year
  • Around 1.3million workers are regularly exposed to noise levels above 85dB(A), which puts them at risk of damage to hearing
  • Up to 400,000 people are believed to be suffering from asthma caused by their work, and it has been estimated that there are at least 1,000 new cases of occupational asthma each year
  • There are around 2,000 cases of accidents involving chemicals at work reported every year
  • Only some 40 per cent of major occupational accidents are reported. Accident reporting by self-employed people is even worse (estimated reporting level of less than four per cent)
  • Seventy per cent of occupational accidents could be prevented if employers put proper safety control measures in place
  • The Government’s Revitalising Health and Safety strategy statement, launched in June 2000, set national targets for improving health and safety performance.

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