Revitalising targets: seven-year itch or in need of resuscitation?
Non-fatal injuries are the only ray of hope in an otherwise depressing 2006/07 for work-related accidents and ill health.
On this page:
Ill health worsens
‘Revitalising’ ill health
Injuries offer hope
Non-fatal injuries
‘Revitalising’ injuries
‘Revitalising’ days lost
Never mind the conkers
At the launch of last year’s annual report on ill-health and injury statistics in 2006, the HSE tried hard to downplay the feeling that stakeholders were starting to make significant progress towards meeting the government and HSC’s ‘Revitalising’ health and safety targets in 2009/10. Cautioning that there were caveats to what was otherwise a “good news day”, HSE chief executive Geoffrey Podger pointed out that the improvements were “not in the bag”.
Regrettably, it has taken exactly one year for reality to catch up with Podger’s caution. From a situation in 2005/06 when statisticians from the HSE and National Statistics deemed stakeholders to be “on course” to meet the target for reducing occupational ill health and “probably” on course for the days lost target, with no clear trend in fatal and major injuries, 2006/07 - seven years into ‘Revitalising’ - saw progress against the first two targets slump to “not on course”, with work-related injuries back “on course” (see table 1 ). Unlike in 2005/06 and nearly all preceding years, the HSE decided not to hold a press conference to launch the new figures this November.
The statistics1 are drawn from:
- injury statistics reported by employers under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR), which show rises in fatal injury totals and rates, but falls in major and over-three-day totals and rates;
- self-reported work-related ill health under the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which shows a large rise in new cases; and
- to a lesser extent, information on particular conditions garnered from specialist doctor reporting schemes, disablement benefit assessments, surveys and death certificates, which show mixed results.
Ill health worsens
An estimated 2.2 million people suffered from ill health in 2006/07 that they believed was related to their work (see table 2 ). The total, which is 10% higher than in 2005/06, includes 646,000 'new' cases that were reported in the previous 12 months, equating to 2,100 per 100,000 people employed during that period. Of the 2.2 million cases, just over half were musculoskeletal disorders and almost a quarter involved stress, depression or anxiety. The incidence of musculoskeletal and stress cases rose by 10% and 25% respectively from 2005/06. (The use of the LFS figures means that the HSC provides “central estimates” between 95% confidence levels. Unless stated otherwise, the LFS figures provided in this feature are central estimates.) A surveillance scheme involving 300 general practitioners that has been running since 2005 confirms a similar proportion of conditions.
Analysis of the industrial injuries disablement benefit shows that the past three years have seen an annual average of 6,300 cases assessed for benefit, with the largest categories being vibration white finger, carpal tunnel syndrome and respiratory diseases linked to past exposures to asbestos and coal dust.
In terms of fatal diseases, the HSE says that cancer deaths are likely to exceed 6,000 a year, and that 4,000 of these are caused by exposure to asbestos; mesothelioma deaths reached 2,037 in 2005 - 68 higher than in 2004 - and are expected to peak at up to 2,450 a year somewhere between 2011 and 2015. These reflect exposures from many years ago; deaths in men under 55 have been falling since the mid-1990s, which suggests that better controls are having an effect. There may also be 4,000 deaths a year from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, due to past occupational exposures to fumes, chemicals and dusts.
‘Revitalising’ ill health
The National Statistics and HSE statisticians work on the basis that, to be on course to reach the ‘Revitalising’ targets, stakeholders should now, after seven years, be 70% of the way towards the targets.
‘Revitalising’ set a target of reducing the “incidence” of new cases of work-related ill health reported in the previous 12 months by 20% between 1999/2000 and 2009/10. To be on course, the improvement for 2005/05 needed to be 12% and, a year ago, the HSE was able to report that the incidence rate had fallen “significantly” from a central estimate of 2.2% in 2001/02 (which was a small rise on 1999/2000) to 1.6% in 2005/06. This represented an improvement of 25%, within a 95% confidence range of 17% to 33%, and allowed the HSC to advise that stakeholders were “on track” to meet the target.
One year later, and things have changed (see table 3 ). Needing a pro-rata improvement of 14%, the HSE advises that it is “not on track”; nor is it on track to meet its Public Service Agreement (PSA) of a 6% reduction by 2007/08 (the PSA figures were set against a 2004/05 baseline and are, in effect, pro-rata ‘Revitalising’ targets). In fact, the overall incidence rate has increased to 2,090 per 100,000 workers and is now almost back at 2001/02 levels: the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders is higher than in 2001/02, although stress and other illnesses are lower. The HSE advises that: “Further analysis is needed to understand the sudden rise in self-reported workrelated ill health between 2005/06 and 2006/07. First findings provide nothing to suggest this was related to any changes in survey design.”
Injuries offer hope
A total of 241 workers (employees and the self-employed) were killed at work during 2006/07 (24 more than in 2005/06); the rate rose too, to 0.80 per 100,000 workers, from 0.72 (see table 4 ). Although the rise provoked considerable outcry, particularly in the construction sector (HSB 363 p.1), the total and rate of worker fatalities in all sectors is lower than in the mid-1990s, although the total is at its highest point since 2001/02 (the rate has changed little in that time). As with any relatively small total, there are likely to be annual fluctuations, and it is not clear whether 2006/07 marks the start of an unfortunate trend or is merely one of those years in which the death toll shoots up, only to fall the following year.
Of the 241 victims in 2006/07, 185 were employees - 20 more than in the previous year. The fatal-injury rate rose too, from 0.6 to 0.7 per 100,000 employees; this is the fifth time in the past eight years that the rate has been at 0.7 and suggests it has reached a plateau, although the total is at its highest point since 2001/02.
Construction and agriculture accounted for 46% of all fatal injuries to workers (77 and 34 deaths respectively) and also had the highest fatal-injury rates. Table 5 looks at injuries to employees by the five main industry sectors (agriculture, extractive and utility supply, manufacturing, construction and services). Analysis shows:
- 69% of the 185 employee deaths in 2006/07 occurred in services (77) and construction (50); and
- the number and rate of fatalities rose between 2005/06 and 2006/07 in all sectors except manufacturing.
Non-fatal injuries
The employee rates of major and over-three-day injuries (those that result in absence from work for more than three days) fell to their lowest points on record. Although the total number of over-three-day injuries was also a record low, major injury levels were lower in the first three years of the 21st century. (The massive scale of underreporting of injuries by self-employed workers necessitates restriction of the analysis of non-fatal injuries to employees.) The Labour Force Survey indicates that the rate of reportable non-fatal injury was 1,000 per 100,000 workers in 2006/07, which represents a statistically significant fall of one-third since 1999/2000 (see table 6 ). During that same period, the percentage of reportable injuries that were actually reported has risen from 44% to 54%. Thus, we have a positive situation in which the total number of non-fatal injuries and the rate of under-reporting are both decreasing.
There were 28,267 major injuries to employees reported in 2006/07 (the totals for all but two of the years since the definition of a major injury was changed in 1995/96 are within 1,000 of 28,000). The rate of 107.0 per 100,000 employees was 3% lower than in 2005/06 and continues a downward trend from the mid-1990s. One in three major injuries continues to be caused by lifting and tripping.
There were 113,083 “over-three-day” injuries to employees in 2006/07, almost 6,000 fewer than in 2005/06. The rate fell by 6% to 428.1 per 100,000 employees. Two in five of the injuries were caused by handling, lifting or carrying.
In terms of non-fatal injuries to employees in the five main industrial sectors (see table 5 ):
- there were falls in the major-injury totals in agriculture, manufacturing and services between 2005/06 and 2006/07, and single-figure rises in construction and extractive sectors;
- the major-injury rate fell in all five sectors over the same period;
- over the past eight years, the total number of major injuries has increased in services, but decreased in all other sectors, while the rate has fallen in agriculture, manufacturing and construction, but risen in the other two sectors;
- there were falls in the over-three-day injury totals in all sectors between 2005/06 and 2006/07, except for extractive and utilities;
- the over-three-day injury rate decreased in all five sectors over the same period; and
- over the past eight years, the total number of over-three-day injuries fell in all sectors except for services, while the rate decreased in all five sectors.
‘Revitalising’ injuries
‘Revitalising’ requires a reduction in the fatal- and major-injury rate of 10% between 1999/2000 and 2009/10, although the relatively small number of fatalities means that the main determinant will always be the major-injury rate (the fatal- and major-injury rate never exceeds the fatal-injury rate by more than one injury per 100,000 employees). When we reviewed progress a year ago, the decrease needed to be on target was 6% by 2005/06. Although the fatal- and major-injury rate had fallen from 117.3 per 100,000 employees in 1999/2000 to 110.7 in 2005/06, the statisticians judged progress “an advance” on 2004/05 but “not on track”, mainly because the rate shot up in 2003/04, from where it had then fallen back to the level of the three years from 2000/01. There were some other encouraging signs, however: the RIDDOR over-three-day rate had declined since the base year; and employee surveys “generally supported” the improvements that were showing in the most recent RIDDOR and LFS data on non-fatal injuries.
These positive signs have fed through into the 2006/07 data. The pro-rata progress needed is a 7% reduction between 1999/2000 and 2006/07. In fact, the employee major-injury rate fell by an estimated 8%-9% (between 7% and 11% confidence intervals), and the employee fatal- and major-injury rate fell from 117.3 to 107.7 over the same period. The statisticians now judge that progress is “on track”, as it is for the PSA target. The judgment is supported by the 22% drop in over-three-day injuries over the same period, and a “statistically significant fall” of 35% in LFS reportable injuries (within confidence intervals of 26% to 44%).
‘Revitalising’ days lost
The third ‘Revitalising’ target is a reduction in the rate of working days lost per worker from workrelated ill health and injury by 30% by 2009/10. Although set at the same time as the other two rates, the baseline is 2000-02 because comparable LFS data were available only from 2000/01 (injuries) and 2001/02 (health). By 2005/06, a 25% improvement (within a 95% range of possibilities between 15% and 35%) had led the HSC-National Statistics report to conclude that progress was “probably on track” - the prorata requirement was 18%.
One year later, however, and the picture has changed for the worse. Requiring a pro-rata reduction of 21% by 2006/07, the statisticians report that lost working days are back at their 2004/05 levels and that the fall from the baseline is only 12% (within a 95% confidence range of 2% to 23%). Progress is, therefore, “not on track”; nor is it on track to meet the PSA target. A look at table 7 highlights the importance of ill health, rather than injuries, in realising this target. Of the 35,736 days lost in 2006/07 to work-related illness and injury, 84% involved ill health. And, of these 29,963 days lost to ill health, 10,715 were caused by musculoskeletal disorders and 13,760 by stress. Put another way, 68% of all days lost to work-related ill health and injury are caused by stress and musculoskeletal disorders, so if these increase, as they did during 2006/07, there is very little that stakeholders can do about the targets, no matter what improvements they may secure in other types of ill health and injuries.
Never mind the conkers
Launching the fatal-injury statistics in July, outgoing HSC chair Bill Callaghan said the loss of 241 lives was “unacceptable”. Three months later, when the full statistics were published, his successor, Judith Hackitt, was equally impatient. “Never mind banning conkers or Christmas decorations,” she said, “look at these figures, this is what real health and safety is all about.” Searching for some good news, Hackitt claimed that the figures also showed that “where we have intervened with all industry partners, together we have and can make a difference.”
Prospect, a union that represents HSE 1,700 staff, was more despondent, linking the rise in fatalities to “year-on-year real term cuts and dwindling staff numbers” (although this argument is more problematic in relation to the improvement in non-fatal injuries). The situation, the union fears, “will only get worse” with further cuts and the move of the HSE’s HQ from London to Bootle. Prospect’s HSE branch chair, Neil Hope-Collins, said: “Whatever spin is being put on these figures, the reality is the families of 241 workers lost a loved one … The government needs to be clear about its priorities as workers in Britain will only get the protection that society and politicians are prepared to pay for. Do they want to protect your money or your life? Today’s figures suggest that it’s not your lives.” Rob Miguel, health and safety officer at the trade union Unite, echoed similar sentiments: “These are not statistics - they are real people with families. We are fed up to the back teeth with the lack of funding given to the HSE, who have of late been accused of failing to investigate hundreds of serious accidents.”
Time is running out for stakeholders to meet the ‘Revitalising’ targets. As HSB noted in June 2000, the targets were neither ambitious nor statistically sound. They were politically driven (by the government’s obsession with targets), set with shaky baselines and depended on self-reporting, which notoriously is flawed. As 2009/10 dawns, we may start to hear more from the HSE of these deficiencies; or it may be that stakeholders again reverse the situation and meet the targets. After all, if 2006/07 has shown us anything, it is that a year is a very long time in health and safety.
1 HSC and National Statistics, Health and safety statistics 2006/07 (PDF format, 956K) and more detailed information (external website). A “statistical note” on progress under ‘Revitalising’ is also available from the same site: “Achieving the ‘Revitalising’ health and safety targets - statistical progress report 2007”. A report on fatalities, Statistics of fatal injuries 2006/07(PDF format, 152K) (external website), was published in July 2007.
Howard Fidderman is a freelance journalist and editor of HSB.
Table 1: Progress against ‘Revitalising’ targets |
|||||
The three ‘Revitalising’ targets |
Reductions required for ‘Revitalising’ targets |
Reductions achieved in 2006/07 |
|||
|
|
Central estimate |
95% confidence intervals |
||
2009/10 |
2006/07 |
Lower |
Upper |
||
Fatal- and major-injury rate |
10% |
7% |
8.2% |
7.4% |
10.7% |
Incidence of work-related ill health |
20% |
14% |
-4.3% |
-12.4% |
3.9% |
Working days lost per worker |
30% |
21% |
12% |
2% |
23% |
Source: HSB. |
Table 2: Causes of work-related ill-health (1,000s) | ||||||
Type of complaint |
Central estimate |
95% confidence intervals | ||||
Lower |
Upper | |||||
2006/07 |
2005/06 |
2006/07 |
2005/06 |
2006/07 |
2005/06 | |
Musculoskeletal disorder, of which: |
1,144 |
1,020 |
1,094 |
974 |
1,193 |
1,067 |
- mainly affecting back |
493 |
437 |
461 |
407 |
526 |
468 |
- mainly affecting upper limbs or neck |
426 |
374 |
396 |
346 |
456 |
401 |
- mainly affecting lower limbs |
224 |
209 |
203 |
188 |
245 |
230 |
Stress, depression or anxiety |
530 |
420 |
496 |
390 |
565 |
451 |
Breathing or lung problems |
142 |
156 |
125 |
139 |
159 |
174 |
Hearing problems |
75 |
68 |
63 |
56 |
87 |
79 |
Total (includes types not listed above) |
2,200 |
1,958 |
2,131 |
1,893 |
2,269 |
2,022 |
Source: HSC/National Statistics. |
Table 3: Rate of work-related ill health | |||
Incidence rate (per 100,000 employed in previous 12 months) | |||
|
Central estimate |
95% confidence intervals | |
Lower |
Upper | ||
All illnesses |
| ||
2001/02 |
2,190 |
2,070 |
2,310 |
2004/05 |
1,850 |
1,730 |
1,960 |
2005/06 |
1,600 |
1,500 |
1,800 |
2006/07 |
2,090 |
1,970 |
2,220 |
Musculoskeletal disorders |
| ||
2001/02 |
750 |
680 |
820 |
2004/05 |
650 |
580 |
710 |
2005/06 |
580 |
520 |
650 |
2006/07 |
790 |
710 |
870 |
Stress, depression, anxiety |
| ||
2001/02 |
890 |
810 |
960 |
2004/05 |
820 |
750 |
900 |
2005/06 |
660 |
590 |
730 |
2006/07 |
830 |
750 |
910 |
Other illnesses | |||
2001/02 |
550 |
490 |
610 |
2004/05 |
380 |
320 |
430 |
2005/06 |
400 |
340 |
460 |
2006/07 |
480 |
420 |
540 |
Source: Labour Force Survey and previous HSBs. |
Table 4: Injuries reported to enforcing authorities | ||||||
|
Fatalities |
Major injuries |
Over-three-day injuries | |||
Total |
Rate2 |
Total |
Rate2 |
Total |
Rate2 | |
Employees | ||||||
1995/96 |
209 |
1.0 |
-3 |
-3 |
-3 |
-3 |
1996/97 |
207 |
0.9 |
27,964 |
127.5 |
127,286 |
580.1 |
1997/98 |
212 |
0.9 |
29,187 |
127.6 |
134,789 |
589.2 |
1998/99 |
188 |
0.8 |
28,368 |
121.7 |
132,295 |
567.3 |
1999/00 |
162 |
0.7 |
28,652 |
116.6 |
135,381 |
550.9 |
2000/01 |
213 |
0.9 |
27,524 |
110.2 |
134,105 |
536.9 |
2001/02 |
206 |
0.8 |
28,011 |
110.9 |
129,655 |
513.5 |
2002/03 |
183 |
0.7 |
28,113 |
111.1 |
128,184 |
506.5 |
2003/04 |
168 |
0.7 |
30,689 |
120.4 |
131,017 |
514.2 |
2004/05 |
172 |
0.7 |
30,451 |
117.9 |
121,779 |
471.7 |
2005/06 |
164 |
0.6 |
28,914 |
110.5 |
119,045 |
452.7 |
2006/071 |
185 |
0.7 |
28,267 |
107.0 |
113,083 |
428.1 |
Self-employed | ||||||
1995/96 |
49 |
1.5 |
-3 |
-3 |
-3 |
-3 |
1996/97 |
80 |
2.3 |
1,356 |
38.4 |
2,282 |
64.6 |
1997/98 |
62 |
1.8 |
815 |
23.3 |
984 |
28.1 |
1998/99 |
65 |
1.9 |
685 |
20.2 |
849 |
25.1 |
1999/00 |
58 |
1.7 |
663 |
19.7 |
732 |
21.8 |
2000/01 |
79 |
2.4 |
630 |
19.2 |
715 |
21.8 |
2001/02 |
45 |
1.3 |
929 |
27.8 |
917 |
27.5 |
2002/03 |
44 |
1.3 |
1,079 |
32.3 |
951 |
28.4 |
2003/04 |
68 |
1.8 |
1,283 |
33.9 |
1,114 |
29.5 |
2004/05 |
51 |
1.3 |
1,251 |
33.0 |
1,143 |
30.2 |
2005/06 |
53 |
1.4 |
1,303 |
34.0 |
1,223 |
31.9 |
2006/071 |
56 |
1.4 |
1,183 |
30.3 |
1,139 |
29.2 |
Workers | ||||||
1995/96 |
258 |
1.0 |
-3 |
-3 |
-3 |
-3 |
1996/97 |
287 |
1.1 |
29,320 |
115.1 |
129,568 |
508.7 |
1997/98 |
274 |
1.0 |
30,002 |
113.8 |
135,773 |
514.8 |
1998/99 |
253 |
0.9 |
29,053 |
108.8 |
133,144 |
498.8 |
1999/00 |
220 |
0.8 |
29,315 |
104.9 |
136,113 |
487.3 |
2000/01 |
292 |
1.0 |
28,154 |
99.6 |
134,820 |
477.1 |
2001/02 |
251 |
0.9 |
28,940 |
101.2 |
130,572 |
456.7 |
2002/03 |
227 |
0.8 |
29,192 |
101.9 |
129,135 |
450.7 |
2003/04 |
236 |
0.8 |
31,972 |
109.3 |
132,131 |
451.5 |
2004/05 |
223 |
0.8 |
31,702 |
107.1 |
122,922 |
415.2 |
2005/06 |
217 |
0.7 |
30,217 |
100.7 |
120,268 |
400.7 |
2006/071 |
241 |
0.8 |
29,450 |
97.1 |
114,222 |
376.8 |
1 Provisional figures. 2 Per 100,000 employees, self-employed or workers (employees and self-employed). 3 Figures pre-1996/97 are not comparable due to changes in Regulations and definitions. Source: compiled from “Health and safety statistics 2006/07, similar reports from previous years and previous HSBs. |
Table 5: Reported injuries, by industry, 1999/2000-2006/071 | |||||||
Injury type |
Year |
Agriculture, fisheries etc |
Extractive & utility supply |
Manu. |
Construction |
Services |
All |
Employees - fatalities | |||||||
Total |
999/00 |
13 |
6 |
38 |
61 |
44 |
162 |
|
2000/01 |
13 8 |
46 |
73 |
73 |
213 |
|
|
2001/02 |
20 |
14 |
47 |
60 |
65 |
206 |
|
2002/03 |
16 |
3 |
42 |
56 |
66 1 |
83 |
|
2003/04 |
6 |
9 |
27 |
52 |
74 |
168 |
|
2004/05 |
16 |
2 |
42 |
55 |
57 |
172 |
|
2005/06 |
11 |
5 |
41 |
43 |
64 |
164 |
|
2006/07 |
14 |
10 |
34 |
50 |
77 |
185 |
Rate2 |
1999/00 |
4.5 |
3.1 |
1.0 |
5.5 |
0.2 |
0.7 |
|
2000/01 |
4.7 |
4.6 |
1.2 |
6.5 |
0.4 |
0.9 |
|
2001/02 |
7.9 |
6.9 |
1.3 |
5.3 |
0.3 |
0.8 |
|
2002/03 |
7.3 |
1.6 |
1.2 |
4.9 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
|
2003/04 |
2.8 |
5.1 |
0.8 |
4.3 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
|
2004/05 |
7.0 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
4.8 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
|
2005/06 |
5.1 |
3.3 |
1.4 |
3.6 |
0.3 |
0.6 |
|
2006/07 |
6.1 |
6.4 |
1.2 |
4.0 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
Employees - non-fatal major injuries | |||||||
Total |
1999/00 |
652 |
467 |
7,973 |
4,386 |
15,174 |
28,652 |
|
2000/01 |
595 |
467 |
7,408 |
4,303 |
14,751 |
27,524 |
|
2001/02 |
601 |
455 |
7,080 |
4,055 |
15,820 |
28,011 |
|
2002/03 |
575 |
431 |
6,688 |
4,031 |
16,388 |
28,113 |
|
2003/04 |
498 |
401 |
6,329 |
3,978 |
19,483 |
30,689 |
2004/05 |
512 |
402 |
6,097 |
3,768 |
19,762 |
30,451 | |
|
2005/06 |
465 |
385 |
5,410 |
3,706 |
18,948 |
28,914 |
2006/07 |
437 |
386 |
5,095 |
3,711 |
18,638 |
28,267 | |
Rate2 |
1999/00 |
224.4 |
244.1 |
204.1 |
359.9 |
79.5 |
116.6 |
|
2000/01 |
213.9 |
267.0 |
194.2 |
380.9 |
75.3 |
110.2 |
|
2001/02 |
238.5 |
222.9 |
194.9 |
356.1 |
79.0 |
110.9 |
|
2002/03 |
262.5 |
222.7 |
194.3 |
354.9 |
80.7 |
111.1 |
|
2003/04 |
235.2 |
228.0 |
194.1 |
327.7 |
94.5 |
120.4 |
2004/05 |
225.3 |
254.0 |
195.6 |
326.9 |
93.0 |
117.9 | |
|
2005/06 |
213.9 |
257.3 |
182.5 |
307.8 |
87.5 |
110.5 |
|
2006/07 |
191.1 |
246.5 |
176.0 |
295.4 |
85.2 |
107.0 |
Employees - over three-day injuries | |||||||
Total |
1999/00 |
1,415 |
2,401 |
39,370 |
10,159 |
82,036 |
135,381 |
|
2000/01 |
1,372 |
2,369 |
38,105 |
9,367 |
82,892 |
134,105 |
|
2001/02 |
1,559 |
2,252 |
34,970 |
9,100 |
81,774 |
129,655 |
|
2002/03 |
1,296 |
1,886 |
33,104 |
8,949 |
82,949 |
128,184 |
|
2003/04 |
975 |
1,820 |
29,956 |
8,256 |
90,010 |
131,017 |
|
2004/05 |
909 |
1,551 |
26,305 |
7,540 |
85,474 |
121,779 |
|
2005/06 |
876 |
1,335 |
24,126 |
7,555 |
85,153 |
119,045 |
2006/07 |
841 |
1,341 |
21,666 |
7,108 |
82,127 |
113,083 | |
Rate2 |
1999/00 |
487.0 |
1,254.9 |
1007.9 |
917.0 |
430.0 |
550.9 |
2000/01 |
493.3 |
1,354.7 |
998.8 |
829.2 |
423.4 |
536.9 | |
|
2001/02 |
618.7 |
1,103.4 |
962.6 |
799.1 |
408.3 |
513.5 |
|
2002/03 |
591.7 |
974.5 |
961.7 |
788.0 |
408.2 |
506.5 |
|
2003/04 |
460.5 |
1,035.0 |
918.5 |
680.0 |
436.6 |
514.2 |
|
2004/05 |
400.1 |
980.0 |
843.8 |
654.1 |
403.9 |
471.7 |
|
2005/06 |
403.0 |
892.3 |
813.7 |
627.6 |
393.5 |
454.7 |
|
2006/07 |
367.8 |
856.5 |
748.3 |
565.9 |
375.4 |
428.1 |
1 Provisional figures. 2 per 100,000 employees. Source: compiled from Health and safety statistics 2006/07 and previous HSBs. |
Table 6: RIDDOR and LFS injury rates (per 100,000)1 | |||
|
Reportable non-fatal and major injury rates |
| |
RIDDOR (employees) |
LFS (workers) |
% Injuries reported | |
1990/00 |
667 |
1,530 |
44% |
2001/02 |
624 |
1,500 |
42% |
2002/03 |
618 |
1,490 |
41% |
2003/04 |
635 |
1,310 |
48% |
2004/05 |
590 |
1,200 |
49% |
2005/06 |
565 |
1,090 |
52% |
2006/07 |
535 |
1,000 |
54% |
1 Central estimate between 95% confidence levels. Source: National Statistics/HSC. |
Table 7: Working days lost due to work-related ill-health and injuries | ||||||
Type of complaint |
Days lost (1,000s) |
Days lost per worker
| ||||
Central estimate |
95% confidence intervals |
Central estimate |
95% confidence intervals | |||
|
Lower |
Upper |
|
Lower |
Upper | |
Due to all ill health and injuries | ||||||
2000-02 |
39,817 |
36,746 |
42,888 |
1.76 |
1.62 |
1.90 |
2004/05 |
35,426 |
32,528 |
38,323 |
1.53 |
1.41 |
1.66 |
2005/06 |
30,458 |
27,801 |
33,115 |
1.30 |
1.20 |
1.40 |
2006/07 |
35,736 |
32,750 |
38,723 |
1.55 |
1.42 |
1.68 |
Due to all illnesses | ||||||
2001/02 |
31,752 |
29,121 |
34,383 |
1.40 |
1.29 |
1.52 |
2004/05 |
28,404 |
25,722 |
31,086 |
1.23 |
1.11 |
1.34 |
2005/06 |
24,319 |
21,829 |
26,809 |
1.00 |
0.94 |
1.20 |
2006/07 |
29,963 |
27,155 |
32,771 |
1.30 |
1.18 |
1.42 |
Due to all injuries | ||||||
2000/01 |
8,065 |
7,037 |
9,093 |
0.36 |
0.31 |
0.40 |
2004/05 |
7,021 |
6,035 |
8,008 |
0.30 |
0.26 |
0.35 |
2005/06 |
6,139 |
5,232 |
7,047 |
0.26 |
0.23 |
0.30 |
2006/07 |
5,773 |
4,838 |
6,708 |
0.25 |
0.21 |
0.29 |
Due to musculoskeletal disorders | ||||||
2001/02 |
11,810 |
10,231 |
13,389 |
0.52 |
0.45 |
0.59 |
2004/05 |
11,602 |
9,761 |
13,444 |
0.50 |
0.42 |
0.58 |
2005/06 |
9,450 |
7,885 |
11,015 |
0.41 |
0.34 |
0.48 |
2006/07 |
10,715 |
8,973 |
12,457 |
0.46 |
0.39 |
0.54 |
Due to stress, depression or anxiety | ||||||
2001/02 |
12,919 |
11,235 |
14,603 |
0.57 |
0.50 |
0.64 |
2004/05 |
12,820 |
11,100 |
14,540 |
0.55 |
0.48 |
0.63 |
2005/06 |
10,537 |
8,934 |
12,139 |
0.45 |
0.39 |
0.52 |
2006/07 |
13,760 |
11,887 |
15,633 |
0.60 |
0.51 |
0.68 |
Source: Compiled from HSC/National Statistics reports. |