Health and Safety Statistics According to a report from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the manufacturing industry recorded 22 fatal injuries during 2021/2022, making it the sector with the second-highest number of work-related fatalities, just behind the construction industry.
The manufacturing sector faces well-known risks, with the leading cause of fatal injuries in the report being contact with moving machinery, responsible for nearly a fifth of fatalities. Other top causes include being struck by a moving object, falls from heights, incidents involving being trapped by something collapsing or overturning, and accidents where individuals are struck by moving vehicles.
In addition to fatalities, an estimated 54,000 workers suffered non-fatal injuries, with over a quarter of these resulting in a work absence exceeding seven days. Among non-fatal injuries, slips, trips, and falls continue to be the primary cause.
HSE Strategy The latest HSE strategy, titled ‘Protecting People and Places,’ centers on the core principle that those who create risk must take responsibility for controlling it. Failure to do so results in accountability and the bearing of associated costs.
The key objectives of the HSE strategy are as follows:
- Reduce work-related ill health, with a particular focus on mental health and stress.
- Foster and maintain trust to ensure individuals feel safe in their living and working environments.
- Enable industries to innovate safely to prevent major incidents and support the transition to net-zero.
- Maintain Great Britain’s reputation as one of the safest countries for work.
- Ensure that HSE is an appealing workplace that attracts and retains exceptional talent.
Underpinning these objectives are six strategic themes guiding the HSE’s regulatory actions from 2022 to 2032. These themes include relevance, fairness, justice, a people-centric approach, collaboration, and financial viability.
Through these strategic themes, the HSE seeks to influence behaviors that reduce risks and challenge businesses with the poorest health and safety records to enhance their performance. As a responsible regulator, the HSE remains committed to appropriately targeting its efforts, particularly in high-risk activities.
Regarding financial viability, when a material breach of health and safety legislation is identified, the HSE will continue to recover its costs through the Fee For Intervention scheme, introduced by the Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees) Regulations 2021. This scheme enables the HSE to recover fees for work performed in investigating and identifying a breach, with the hourly recovery rate now standing at £163, representing a substantial cost to businesses under investigation.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health In line with its strategic plan, the HSE has initiated a new inspection campaign aimed at the manufacturing sector where materials containing silica are utilized. Silica particles are known to cause various health conditions, including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Long-term exposure to these particles can seriously impair a worker’s respiratory health, leading to irreversible, often fatal, lung diseases. Occupational lung diseases account for 12,000 annual deaths in Great Britain, with 18,000 new cases either caused or exacerbated by workplace conditions. Given these alarming figures, the HSE has long prioritized addressing this issue.
The inspections will assess whether employers and workers are aware of the risks associated with silica and whether businesses have implemented control measures to protect workers’ respiratory health. This includes sectors such as brick and tile manufacturing, foundries, stone processing facilities, and kitchen worktop manufacturing.
Employers have a legal obligation to establish suitable arrangements for health and safety and must comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). Inspectors will seek evidence of effective measures, including Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV), water suppression, and the use of protective equipment such as Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) to reduce workers’ exposure to silica. In the event of health and safety breaches, the HSE will take enforcement action to safeguard workers’ well-being.
To support the industry and fulfill its role as an enabling regulator, the HSE has updated its silica guidance and published an e-bulletin to supplement the existing industry guidance available on its website.
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