Falls, trips at work cost Britain £811m a year, says Health & Safety Executive

Every 25 minutes, someone breaks or fractures a bone at work according to the latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The HSE has launched the `Shattered Lives` campaign, to highlight the devastating consequences of simple slips, trips and falls - including falls from height - in the workplace. 

The figures are alarming - every week, one person dies from a slip, trip or fall at work and the serious injuries from slips, trips and falls make up almost a third of all injuries reported to the HSE. 

Introducing the `Shattered Lives` campaign, Dr Elizabeth Gibby, Head of the Injuries Reduction Programme, HSE said, `Each year slips, trips and falls cost the British society nearly £811 million pounds with £31 million of this coming from the catering and hospitality industry. But what these figures don`t reflect, is the extent to which these injuries affect individual workers and their families. 

Slips, trips and falls can be viewed as being minor, funny accidents but the effects are not. It can lead to major injuries, and a lifetime of disability or time off work and in worst cases, fatalities. `Shattered Lives` will encourage people to change their attitudes: if you spot a hazard, don’t assume `somebody else will sort it out`.

Slips, trips and falls can also have a shattering effect on businesses through costs such as employee absence, sick pay and reduced productivity. Irrespective of the size of the business and the job that you do, it could happen to you.` 

HSE`s Shattered Lives campaign will offer guidance to employers and employees in the construction, building and plant maintenance and food manufacturing and retail industries where the incidence of injuries resulting from slips, trips and falls is highest.