Health and safety battle is not over yet

摘要

The annual workplace injury statistics recently released by the Health and Safety Executive showed a strong decline in workplace accidents, with the number of those killed in construction down to 39 from the collective five-year average of 53. However, while this seems to be a step in the right direction, taking the figures at face value might lead some to believe the construction sector is doing everything required of it in regard to site safety. Although we have certainly seen an increased commitment to health and safety from construction firms across the board, it is important to acknowledge the wide-ranging factors that determine the new statistics. For instance, falling incident rates could be linked to a drop in employment, or a lower number of ongoing projects. Fewer injuries could simply indicate that there are just fewer people on site. The results also suggest that small businesses or self-employed subcontractors are among the most vulnerable groups when working on site.