The surprising reality of fatal accidents in the workplace
Written by Rebecca Brisley | Personal Injury Team |19 October 2023
In the years 2022/23 135 workers were killed in work-related accidents according to RIDDOR. That means that every 3 days, somebody is killed at work in the UK.
It will likely come as no surprise that the majority of deaths occur on a construction site, which are inherently more dangerous than retail or office work. On average, 37 construction workers per year will be killed as a result of an accident at work.
Workplace Regulations are clearly having a positive impact as over the long term, the rate of fatal injury to workers does show a downward trend, although in recent years the trend has been broadly flat.
The three most common causes of fatal accidents at work are:
falls from height
being struck by a moving vehicle
being struck by a moving (including flying or falling) object
In 2022/23, 40 fatal injuries were due to falls from a height, accounting for 30% of all worker deaths over the year. In the same year, 20 fatal injuries to workers were caused as a result of being struck by a moving vehicle. 21% of fatal injuries were caused by moving, including flying/falling, object.
It is unthinkable in this day and age that employees are still exposed to fatal risks in the workplace, despite the legislation in place which is meant to protect workers from exactly this type of shocking event.
Rebecca Brisley, a specialist solicitor in our Personal Injury team, says, “There can be little more tragic than sending a loved one off to work in the morning only for them never to return home, particularly when an accident and injury may well have been completely avoidable. The fact that 2 people a week will die in an accident in the workplace in the UK is a statistic that is both alarming and staggering. Nobody should be at risk of a fatal accident in the workplace, it is completely unacceptable.”
If you, or a loved one, have been seriously injured at work then you may be able to claim compensation. There is a 3 year time limit for making a workplace compensation claim so you should ensure not to leave it too late before seeking advice.
For a free no obligation chat to discuss whether you have a claim on a no win no fee basis, you can contact our experienced Personal Injury Team by calling 01752 827085 or emailing enquiries@nash.co.uk.
