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News release

24 June 2009 NR 41/09

Industry challenged to cut worker deaths

Construction employers have been challenged to cut the number of workplace deaths even further by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) after it was revealed 53 construction workers died at work last year.

The world’s biggest health and safety professional body said that while the new HSE fatal injury statistics themselves were of a positive nature, they still represented “unimaginable suffering and needless devastation of hundreds of families”.

John Lacey, the chairman of the IOSH Construction Group, said:

“It’s a positive move that the number of people dying on Britain’s construction sites is falling, but no one in the industry should be patting themselves on the back. We’ve still killed 53 people – that’s far, far too many.

“The great frustration for me is that it’s still the obvious things that are claiming lives. People are still falling from height, being hit by falling objects, or struck by vehicles and plant on site. As an industry we are well aware of the risks that are present on our sites. The challenge is transforming that awareness into genuinely positive results in the workplace.”

John added that he was particularly concerned about safety on refurbishment projects:

“This is the growth area in our industry at present because there are fewer new build projects in the current economic climate. My worry is that there’s an attitude that safety is less important on refurbishment projects.

“In most cases, the work can be done more quickly. So the fear is that employers could be tempted to cut corners on safety as they seek to get the work done fast. That’s often to the detriment of the workers, though, who are put at greater risk. It also brings with it the potential for significant health problems, such as musculoskeletal disorders.”

John urged the industry to continue working together to get even better on health and safety:

“We need to continue to pull together, because the solutions that can make our great industry a safe one are out there. I really hope that next year we can be talking about having killed no workers, although, realistically, if we can get below one death a week that would be good progress.”

For more details, visit the HSE Fatal Injuries Statistics webpage.

- Ends -

Notes for editors:

IOSH is the Chartered body for health and safety professionals. With more than 35,000 members in 85 countries, we’re the world’s biggest professional health and safety organisation.

We set standards, and support, develop and connect our members with resources, guidance, events and training. We’re the voice of the profession, and campaign on issues that affect millions of working people.

IOSH was founded in 1945 and is a registered charity with international NGO status.