The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released key statistics regarding ill health and injury relating to work in the UK.

Key figures for Great Britain (2017/18) highlighted in the report include:

• 1.4 million working people suffering from a work-related illness
• 2,595 mesothelioma deaths due to past asbestos exposures (2016)
• 144 workers killed at work
• 555,000 injuries occurred at work according to the Labour Force Survey
• 71,062 injuries to employees reported under RIDDOR
• 30.7 million working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury
• £15 billion estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions (2016/17).

Ill health at work

From the statistics, we can see that the rate of self-reported work-related ill health showed a downward trend to around 2011/12. Working days lost per worker due to work-related illness showed a generally downward trend up to around 2010/11.

The rate of self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety was broadly flat but has shown signs of increasing in recent years. Working days lost due to stress, depression or anxiety account for 57% of all working days lost due to ill health.

Injury at work

HSE report there has been a long-term downward trend in the rate of fatal injury to around 2012/13. The rate of self-reported non-fatal injury to workers showed a generally downward trend.

The rate of non-fatal injury to employees reported by employers also showed a long-term downward trend.

Compared to other European countries

Comparing HSE’s numbers to the rest of Europe, we can see the UK consistently has one of the lowest standardised rates of fatal injury across the EU, lower than other large economies and the EU average.

Non-fatal injuries in the UK were at a similar level to other large economies in 2013. UK rates of work-related ill health resulting in sick leave were lower than most other EU countries.

HSE Enforcement in numbers

HSE report this year has seen a fall in the number of cases prosecuted, continuing the trend from the previous year. The number of notices issued by all enforcing bodies showed a small decrease compared to the previous year.

The level of fines issued in 2017/18 is comparable to the previous year which they state is due to an increase after the introduction of new sentencing guidelines. A feature of these guidelines is that the fine is related to the turnover of organisations and, as a result, large organisations convicted of offences are receiving larger fines than seen prior to their introduction.

MORE INFORMATION

You can view the full graphic report on the HSE website.

hse.gov.uk/statistics