제  목 : Decrease in fatal accidents in 1997/1998 workplace safety statistics
  일  자 : 1998년 08월
  제공처 : Internet

   Decrease in fatal accidents in 1997/1998 workplace safety statistics
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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today published estimated headline
workplace injury statistics for Great Britain for the year from 1 April 1997
to 31 March 1998. The figures show a decrease of 19 in the number of workers
fatally injured - 268 died compared to 287 last year.

Frank Davies, CBE, OStJ, Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC),
said:

     "Last summer we were concerned because fatal accident figures had
     risen - we were not sure if the rise was a 'blip' in the previous
     downward trend or the start of an upward trend. This year's
     estimated figures seem to suggest a 'blip' last year, mainly in
     deaths of self employed workers. This is where there is the biggest
     reduction this year - 58 self employed workers died in 1997/98
     compared to 80 in the previous year. There has been a small rise in
     fatalities to employees from 207 to 210.

     "These figures are our early best estimates of the final figures, so
     there could be some adjustments. But it looks as if the fatal injury
     rate for workers will return to 1.0 per 100,000 workers. This is
     good news as it is equals the rate two years ago, which was the
     lowest ever achieved.

     "I am particularly pleased that in the construction industry there
     has been a reduction in worker fatalities from 90 to 76, the lowest
     figure recorded in the last two decades. The agriculture industry
     has seen a welcome reduction in worker fatalities too. We expect the
     final figures to fall from 55 last year to 40. Service industry
     worker fatalities are expected to remain the same as last year at
     74, but in manufacturing we expect a slight increase from 59 to 61.
     There has been a worrying increase in fatalities in the extractive
     industries, with a rise to 17 from 9 last year.

     "We expect the rate of non fatal major injuries for all workers to
     stay about the same as last year. There was a big increase in the
     numbers then, but this was because of a change in the reporting
     arrangements and also reflected increased economic activity,"

    said Mr Davies.

Jenny Bacon, HSE's Director General, said;

     "Last year we said that we would be concentrating our efforts on
     areas of greatest concern - especially small firms and the
     self-employed in the agriculture and construction industries. The
     fatality figures are encouraging. Credit is due to those in industry
     themselves but I hope also reflects our efforts.

     "We exceeded our targets for contacts with firms. 4,500 inspections
     were carried out in the agriculture industry, where HSE inspectors
     concentrated 'blitz inspections' on known causes of fatalities,
     particularly transport, maintenance work and child safety. As for
     construction - we hope that these figures are the start of a
     sustained improvement in the industry, brought about in part by new
     safety legislation. Inspectors concentrated on causes of accidents
     such as falls from height - especially in steel erection and
     industrial roofing - site transport and planning of demolition work.

     "The rise in deaths to workers and in major injuries to employees in
     the manufacturing industry for the second year is of concern. During
     this year we will be targeting premises which have had the highest
     accident rates and inspectors will be looking out for poor
     management.

     "Our early examination of the figures as a whole shows no pattern
     emerging. In particular, the variation year to year in fatalities to
     the self-employed seems random. However, the areas for particular
     concern are clear and we will be concentrating extra effort on
     them."

Copies of 'Safety Statistics Bulletin 1997/98', MISC 14, are available free of
charge from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 6FS, tel:
01787-881165 or fax: 01787-313995).

PUBLIC ENQUIRIES: Call HSE's InfoLine, tel: 0541 545500, or write to:
HSE Information Centre, Broad Lane, Sheffield, S3 7HQ.