HSE Stats Highlight Fall In Major Injuries

New figures which show a fall in the number of people killed or seriously injured while working on offshore oil and gas operations have been welcomed by a workplace safety expert at Irwin Mitchell.

According to figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), no workers were killed during activities regulated by the organisation across 2010/11, while the number of major injuries fell from 50 to 42 over the 12-month period.

The combined fatal and major injury rate fell to 151.8 per 100,000 workers across the year, which marked a drop from the figure of 192 recorded in 2009/10.

Workplace injury specialists at Irwin Mitchell act for a number of people who have been injured in industrial incidents both on and offshore, as well as the families of those killed in such cases.

David Urpeth, nation head of workplace injury at the law firm, said: “It is always welcome to see a fall in the number of people hurt or killed in any industry, but particularly to see a reduction in a field often recognised as one of the most dangerous.

“The health and safety of workers should always be a priority for employers and this is a clear sign that businesses are taking positive steps towards improving and protecting their staff from the risks of harm.

“However, we would hope that employers do not take this as a sign that they can take their foot off the pedal in regards to spreading the safety message across their workforce.

It is vital that these figures are not only maintained but improved on and we hope firms are able to do this through the necessary training and provision of both safety guidance and equipment.”

If you or a loved one has suffered due to an accident at work, our personal injury claims team could help you to secure the compensation you deserve. Visit our Workplace Accident Compensation page for more information.