Corporate killing - the facts and figures
International Workers' Memorial Day
28 April 2003
For real corporate accountability
In GB the latest HSE figures for 2001/02 (provisional) record:
- 249 workers were killed (43 fewer than 2000/01)* - 204 employees, 45 self-employed, plus 384 members of the public (444 in 2000/01);
- 4,000 killed by asbestos related disease and 6,000 from other occupational illnesses;
- a total of 10,633 killed at or by work, or 29 per day or more than one per hour.
The HSE says that at least 70% of incidents causing death or serious injury are due to health and safety management failures and should have been prevented. (Source: HSE statistics 2002)
To the official figures above should be added:
- about 30 killed at sea on British registered ships and in British waters;
- about 1,000 in work-related road traffic accidents;
- the 1,000 more killed by asbestos (TUC estimates are 5,000 die per year);
- 9,000 more killed by other occupational illnesses like cancers, asthma and cardio-vascular illnesses;
- giving an unofficial estimated total of 21,663 or 59 people per day or more than two every hour. (Sources: CCA, TUC, Hazards Campaign)
Global killing
Worldwide the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that each year the toll at work due to unsafe working practices is:
- approximately 2 million workers killed by occupational injuries and illnesses;
- at least 355,000 of these deaths are due to incidents at work;
- an estimated 500-2,000 non-fatal injuries for every fatal injury - many result in lost earnings, lost jobs and permanent disability and poverty;
- 160 million people have a work-related disease;
- equivalent to 5,000 workers dying each and every day across the world; and
- equivalent to three people dying every minute across the world.
For comparison:
- work kills more than twice as many as warfare (650,000 deaths per year),
- work kills more people than alcohol and drugs together, and
- the resulting loss in gross domestic product is 20 times greater than all official development assistance to developing countries; and
- hazardous substances alone kill 340,000 per year with one substance, asbestos, accounting for 100,000 of the deaths.
The ILO claims that at least half the deaths from incidents could be prevented by safe working practices and all accidents are avoidable and preventable. (Source: ILO 2003)
Deaths are the tip of the iceberg of health and safety management failure
In Great Britain last year according to the HSE 2001/02 (provisional) there were:
- 27,477 major injuries (47 fewer than 2000/01);
- an estimated 40.2 million days off work due to illness (32.9 million days) and injury (7.3 million days);
- 13.4 million days due to stress, anxiety or depression and 12.3 million due to musculo-skeletal disorders (MSDs);
- an estimated 1,260,000 people suffering from MSDs and 563,000 from stress;
- an estimated 265,000 new cases of stress; and
- 27,000 people are forced out of work each year due to work-related ill health.
(Source: HSE statistics)
Deaths in Great Britain by industrial sector reported to all enforcement agencies 2001/02 provisional (2000/01 in brackets)
Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing
Fatal - 41 (53): 20 employees, 19 self-employed, 2 members of the public
Construction
79 (113) 59 employees, 20 self-employed, 6 members of the public
Extractive and utility supply industries
Fatal -19 (11) 14 employees, 0 self-employed, 5 members of the public
Manufacturing industries
50 (52) 46 employees, 1 self-employed, 3 members of the public
Service industries
438 (507) 65 employees, 5 self-employed, 368 members of the public
Total Deaths in all industries reported to all enforcement agencies - 633 (736)
- 204 employees,
- 45 self-employed, and
- 384 members of the public
GB deaths by Region as reported to the HSE 2001/02 provisional (2000/01 in brackets)
East and South East
- Fatal injuries - 59 (67) - 35 employees, 8 self-employed, 16 members of the public
- Major injuries to workers- 4,441 (4,668)
- Over 3 day injuries to workers -19,248 (20,053)
- Non-fatal injuries to members of public - 1,761 (3,205)
London
- Fatal injuries - 24 (34 in 2000/01) - 18 employees, 1 self-employed, 5 members of the public
- Major injuries to workers- 1,860 (1,952)
- Over 3 day injuries to workers -9,134 (9,517)
- Non-fatal injuries to members of public - 978 (1,518)
Midlands
- Fatal injuries - 51 (57) - 33 employees, 9 self-employed, 9 members of the public
- Major injuries to workers - 3,996 (4,199)
- Over 3 day injuries to workers -19,110 (20,378)
- Non-fatal injuries to members of public- 1,384 (2,406)
North West
- Fatal injuries -32 (41) - 21 employees, 3 self-employed, 8 members of the public
- Major injuries to workers -2,619 (2,700)
- Over 3 day injuries to workers -12,945 (13,763)
- Non-fatal injuries to members of public -972 (1,228)
Scotland
- Fatal injuries -32 (45) -23 employees, 4 self-employed, 5 members of the public
- Major injuries to workers -2,308 (2,423)
- Over 3 day injuries to workers 8,979 (9,888)
- Non-fatal injuries to members of public 635 (928)
Wales
- Fatal injuries - 22 (19) - 13 employees, 4 self-employed, 5 members of the public
- Major injuries to workers -1,377 (1,413)
- Over 3 day injuries to workers -5,853 (6,511)
- Non-fatal injuries to members of public - 376 (419)
Wales and South West
- Fatal injuries 47 -(51) - 23 employees, 14 self-employed, 10 members of the public
- Major injuries to workers 3,079 (3,242)
- Over 3 day injuries to workers 13,448 (14,655)
- Non-fatal injuries to members of public 1,022 (1,407)
Yorkshire and North East
- Fatal injuries - 39 (58) - 30 employees, 3 self-employed, 6 members of the public
- Major injuries to workers -3,401 (3,544)
- Over 3 day injuries to workers -16,267 (17,463)
- Non-fatal injuries to members of public 860 (1,761)
Great Britain Totals as reported to the HSE for 2001/02
Fatal 284 (183 employees, 42 self employed and 59 members of the public)
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