New figures released by the HSE reveal that 61 people died and more than 14,000 suffered serious injuries as a result of a slip, trip, or fall from height at work in Britain last year.
The statistics also suggest that the cost to British society of these incidents amounted to £700 million last year. In response to its findings, the HSE has re-launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of these kinds of accidents.
The Shattered Lives campaign highlights the potential consequences of slip and trip accidents and encourages employers to introduce measures to prevent them from happening. The campaign targets the sectors where these accidents are most common, including: food and drink manufacturing, building and plant maintenance, construction, food retail, catering and hospitality, health care and education.
Head of the HSE’s injury reduction programme, Marcia Davies, said: “We want to raise awareness of how these incidents can happen and how they can be easily avoided by taking common-sense actions and precaution at no or little cost. If you spot a hazard in your workplace, deal with it — don’t assume that somebody else will.
“The lives of workers and their families are shattered by the serious consequences of these types of accidents. Simple measures introduced by businesses can make a positive difference to safety in the workplace.”
