news release

 

 

no embargo - 25 June 2009 ( Back to news releases)

FACK is pleased that fewer workers killed in work incidents but says every one death is a terrible tragedy and much more action needed to stop work deaths

FACK founder member Linzi Herbertson said today: 

‘The news that less people were killed at work is good to hear, but let no-one forget that 180 families have been devastated by a death that should never have happened and which will have damaging repercussions for members of those families for years.   Work related incidents are no "accidents" as there are usually faults or unsafe practices.  FACK feel there are still very large gaps in enforcement as companies are often never visited by HSE inspectors until an incident has occurred.

“We  want people to remember that the 180 figure does not include all those killed by work incidents as many are not reported to the HSE but to other authorities, and does not include the may thousands dying form illness caused by bad working condition which may be as high as 1,500 in incidents and 50,000 from illnesses.

“The annual £30 billion cost to UK society for employers failing to manage H&S falls on us, our, our families, and on the state but the employers who create the risk pay less than 25% of the cost.  We as a country can’t afford this, and in a recession more than ever workers and our families can’t afford to lose our health or our lives.

We call on the HSE to make real their commitment to enforcement, to enact legal duties on directors for health and safety; for workers and safety reps rights to be enhanced and properly enforced, and for the government to spend more money on protecting our lives and preventing illnesses so this drop in deaths is the beginning of a safer world for all workers.

For more information contact FACK : 0161 636 7557

Notes

SE Press Release on fatalities:  http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/e09050.htm

Hazards Campaign on the true extent of workplace injury: http://www.shponline.co.uk/article.asp?article_id=8265&viewcomment=1

Linzi’s story of the death at work of her husband Andy Herbertson http://www.hazardscampaign.org.uk/fack/about/andrewherbertson.pdf

Who pays? You do Hazards Magazine: http://www.hazards.org/deadlybusiness/whopays.htm

FACK is a group of families of people killed at work see www.fack.org.uk