Some challenges remain prominent across various types of industry and workplace, with the risk of injury and fatality offering relevant and important examples.
However, it’s fair to surmise that such risks are more pertinent in manual sectors such as construction, where individuals often have to work at height and while operating heavy duty and cumbersome equipment.
According to the recent figures unveiled by the HSE, there were a hefty 54,000 non-fatal work related injuries in the UK construction sector during 2019. But in what context should we consider this number, and what are the additional takeaways associated with the report?
What Exactly Did the Report Tell Us?
Currently, the HSE draws comprehensive datasets from two official and verified sources, namely the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and RIDDOR.
The reason for combining these data sources is telling, as while the former provides a detailed overview of all injuries sustained in the construction sector (and other industries), the latter offers far greater depth and insight in terms of the unique nature of each instance.
As a result of this, we can see that the 54,000 non-fatal injuries were compounded by a further 30 fatalities, which was lower than the average (36) recorded over the course of the previous five years. An estimated 49 per cent of these fatalities were caused by falling from height, which offers a key insight into the key safety challenges facing construction firms.
The total number of non-fatal workplace injuries also fell in comparison with the previous five years, while 25 per cent of these instances were caused by slips, trips or falls on the same level.
A further 20 per cent of injuries were caused in the course of handling, lifting or carrying items, although in both of these instances the rate of injury in the construction sector is marginally lower than the national average.
What About Work-related Ill Health?
The HSE report also offers an insight into work-related ill health, of which there were 79,000 separate instances recording during 2018/19.
A staggering 62 per cent of these were musculoskeletal disorders, which typically cause pain and discomfort in the joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves, tendons and structures that primarily support the neck, back and limbs.
In total, there were an estimated 42,000 work-related cases of musculoskeletal disorder recorded last year, accounting for around three-fifths of all ill health in this industry.
This accounts for 2.1 per cent of the construction sector workforce as a whole, with this rate noticeably higher than manufacturing (1.1 per cent) and transportation and storage (1.5 per cent). It was also higher than the national average of 1.2 per cent, and once again this highlights a common issue and cause of ‘no win, no fee compensation claims in the field of construction.
How Does Construction Stack Up Against Other Industries Overall?
On the subject of comparison, the construction industry fares a little better when it comes to fatalities. Not only has the total number of such instances fallen incrementally in the sector since 2014, for example, but the rate is also considerably lower than in agriculture, forestry and water supply management.
There are an estimated 1.31 fatalities per 100,000 workers in the construction sector, for example, compared with 9.21 per 100,000 in the fields of agriculture and forestry.
The rate of fatalities per 100,000 employees in the water management space is 3.12, and in this respect the construction sector has arguably taken positive steps to create a safer working environment for staff members.
When it comes to non-fatal injuries, the construction sector faces a slightly more pressing challenge. In total, an estimated 2.4 per cent of workers in the construction sector have suffered such an injury during the last 12 months, with this rate higher than the corresponding figure for transportation (1.9 per cent), manufacturing (2.1 per cent) and all industries (1.7 per cent).
Of course, this can partially be explained by the challenging and physical nature of construction, but the work done to reduce industry fatalities shows that more steps can be taken to protect workers on a daily basis.