Construction fatality statistics show record low number of deaths

The construction industry in Great Britain suffered 59 fatalities in the year to 31 March 2006, the lowest number on record, according to provisional figures published today by the Health & Safety Commission.

The figure represents a fall of 14% from the 69 deaths recorded in 2004/05.

Construction deaths accounted for 28% of the total 212 worker fatalities in 2005/06, down from 31% in the previous year. In England, 50 workers were killed, seven in Scotland and two in Wales.

The rate of fatal injury to workers has fallen by 50% since 2000/01 - 5.91 deaths per hundred thousand workers to 2.95 this year - again this is the lowest level on record.

In 2003, the most recent year for which data is available across the European Union, the average rate of all workplace fatal injuries was 2.5 deaths per hundred thousand workers. The equivalent rate for Great Britain was 1.1, the lowest figure for any EU country.

The number of fatal injuries to construction employees in Great Britain fell to 42 from 55, while the figure for self-employed workers rose from 14 to 17.

Falling from height remains the biggest killer accounting for around half of all fatalities in the period from 1996/97 to 2005/06. In 2005/06 there were 24 fatalities caused by falls from height, a decrease of two from 2004/05.

The other main causes of death were: being struck by a moving/falling object (14%); being struck by a vehicle (11%); being trapped by something collapsing/overturning (8%); and contact with electricity or electrical discharge (8%).