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04.07.2008 - UPDATE * Provisional
figures of work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain
issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) this
week reveal that 228 workers lost their lives as a
result of accidents/incidents at work in 2007/08.
16.05.08 The Health and Safety Executive has come
under fire recently for allegedly failing to do enough
to deal with employers guilty of breaking regulations in
the workplace. Startling statistics have been
published suggesting that there has been a 28% increase
in construction worker deaths during 2007 with up to 77
workers losing their lives.
Compensation claims are as a result, on the
increase. The construction industry itself has been
criticised for regulating itself too loosely with far
too many loopholes available for firms to exploit.
There are apparently few inspections and investigations
carried out by the HSE than was previously the case.
Some businesses receive a visit from them only once
every 14 years which suggests that the system cannot
cope. The Royal
Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
joined the fray with a damning analogy comparing the
numbers of deaths at work in the UK each year to "one
Jumbo jet crashing every two weeks killing all 400
people on board". This sobering thought has to be
tempered with the knowledge that in many ways the UK
working environment is far safer than it has ever been
and employers can be subject to an
accident claim for
injury in the workplace. Employers liability
insurance will cover any such claims. With limited
activity by the HSE, it may be that employers are
becoming complacent and no longer worry about the long
arm of the regulator reaching out to drag them into
court.
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