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The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) newly-published statistics on fatal injuries in UK workplaces reveal that 137 people were killed in the 12 months to the end of March, the second lowest year on record.

The rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers was 0.43 for the 12 months to the end of March 2017. This is broadly similar to the average five-year rate of 0.46 as the long-term downward trend of UK workplace deaths stays broadly level.

The statistics cover the 12 months from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017 and, although they represent a reduction of ten fatalities from 2015-16, the HSE said they are provisional and could therefore change before being finalised next July.

Thirty construction workers sustained fatal injuries last year, the lowest number on record for the sector despite accounting for the largest share.

Last year, 31 workers were killed by moving vehicles, falls from height attributed for 25 deaths, 20 employees were fatally struck by a moving object, and a further ten died after they were trapped by equipment that either collapsed or overturned. Electrocution accounted for eight deaths, as did contact with moving machinery.

Older workers (aged 60+) accounted for around a quarter of all workplace deaths in 2016-17, despite the fact this demographic made up only around 10% of the workforce.

For further information: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm#