If you want to know the true costs of bad health and safety implementation by employers in the UK, don’t bother checking with the HSE! The fact is that the HSE does not even comply with the established code of practice on the collection of statistical information. Further, it excludes, by default, members of the public killed by work activities, work related road traffic injuries and deaths, and work related suicides; to name just three causes of work related injuries and deaths. Whilst every Union Safety Rep is aware of this fact, not every USR is quoting accurate statistics, but rely on the HSE for such information. After reading this article, USRs should be under no illusions and should refrain from quoting the HSE accident at work statistics. The UK Statistics Authority published a report in May 2010, which made it clear that the HSE statistics on Health And Safety At Work are NOT all inclusive and therefore inaccurate. Their May 2010 report states that the: ‘HSE does not produce an overall figure for work-related fatalities in Great Britain.’ and makes recommendations that they ‘investigate the feasibility of producing statistics on the total number of work-related injuries and fatalities’ Union Safety Reps should make themselves aware of a major article on health and safety statistics from the Hazards Campaign. In an article entitled ‘The Whole Story’ which was also published in Safety and Health Practitioner December 2008, Greater Manchester Hazards campaigner Hilda Palmer gives reasoning behind criticism of HSE statistics. In short she writes: We need to say: Stop it you are killing us! The UK Statistics Authority in their Report 42 on Assessments of compliance with Code of Practice for official statistics - Statistics on Health and Safety at Work (produced by the HSE) Published May 2010 can be downloaded, using search category 'Health And Safety Campaigns', from the E-Library Database Using the same search category, the Hazards report by Hilda Palmer, 'The Whole Story', and Hazards 'We Didn't Vote To Die At Work' campaign article can also be downloaded from the E-Library Database Source: Hazards |
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