Why is Health and Safety Important?
Health and Safety training and awareness is important in all workplaces. However, there is a real need for high-quality Health and Safety Training in the construction industry. With such a high injury rate in the workplace, we feel that every employer should know the dangers of an untrained workforce and the benefits of training them. So here are 10 statistics that will show you why Health and Safety training in construction is so important.
Deaths in construction year-on-year
Starting with a big one. The deaths in construction year on year make up around 20% of fatalities in the workplace in the whole of the UK. This stat may not seem too significant as there are around 67 million people in the UK, however, it shows the increased health and safety risks in the construction industry compared to others. If you think you have got good odds, check out our next statistic.
Workplace Injuries (Non-Fatal)
In the construction industry, there is an average of 54,000 injuries per year! That statistic is frightening to most of us in construction and is significantly higher than in other industries.
Compared to some of the most dangerous industries, construction is right up there. 2.4% of workers in construction will suffer from an injury. To really illustrate the injury rate per 100,000 workers, we have compared the injury rate within construction to the armed forces, offshore workers (such as deep-sea divers) alongside the UK average. The results are shocking…
HSE Notices
If the injury rate and fatality rates weren’t enough to really convince you that the construction industry’s health and safety needs to be taken more seriously. Let’s have a look at the notices handed out to employers in construction. This might not seem like a large statistic but, considering the construction industry make up 60% of prohibition notices in the whole of the UK, it goes to show, that this is a real problem.
Prosecution
In 2018/2019, there were 158 prosecution cases against employers in the UK. However, the part that will convince employers that the HSE is not to be taken lightly is the conviction rate. If the HSE put a prosecution case against you, they will have a 92% conviction rate and on average deliver fines on £107,000.
Causes of injuries
Finally, the different causes of injuries in construction should show you how easily an employee can be injured. All of these causes are very present on construction sites on a daily basis. All of these injuries are avoidable with the correct health and safety training, but, some employers think employees are aware at all times of all possible risks. In truth, we are responsible for everyone’s health and safety on-site and health and safety training won’t just teach you how to stay safe, but also how to keep others safe on-site.
What can you do?
If you’re asking what you can do, then it’s great to hear that you are taking employee safety seriously. The easiest way to check if your employees are aware of health and safety hazards and risks is to check their qualifications or their CSCS card. All CSCS cards require health and safety training, but there are many different types and some will only cover the employee for certain tasks. It is always a good idea to ensure that they are covered for their speciality or trade.
If you’re interested in making sure your workforce is health and safety compliant see our one day health and safety course for getting the Green CSCS card. Or take a look at some of our other health and safety courses.
If you’re interested in making sure your workforce is health and safety compliant see our one-day health and safety course for getting the Green CSCS card or book online. Or take a look at some of our other health and safety courses.
Sources: https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/statistics/hsr2018.pdf https://www.hse.gov.uk/Statistics/industry/construction.pdf
