With the current obsession in the media with knife crime, a sense of perspective may be restored by a new study which reports that injuries and fatalities at work may be significantly under-reported in official statistics and suggests that workers are potentially at greater risk of harm at work than they are outside the workplace.

The study, entitled ‘A crisis of enforcement: The decriminalisation of death and injury at work’, has been published by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King’s College London. It says that many occupational injuries go unreported and this results in an under-estimation of ‘safety crime’. It also questions official figures reported by the Health and Safety Executive for fatal accidents at work. The total number of workplace deaths does not include those killed in road traffic accidents whilst working. If one includes these and other unreported occupational deaths, the total for 2006-2007 increases from the official figure of 241 to around 1,400. This is approaching double the number of homicides (765) in England and Wales in 2005-2006.

Non-fatal injuries at work are also under-reported, according to the report. Research carried out by the Office for National Statistics shows that approximately 75 per cent of non-fatal injuries at work are never reported. In the case of self-employed workers, this figure rises to 95 per cent. These figures show that employers are not complying fully with their legal duty to report all accidents at work.

The study’s authors claim the figures show that the real extent of workplace injuries is hidden. While violent crime in the street or at home may be many people’s worst fear, being the victim of an injury at work would appear to be more likely.

Employers have a legal duty to provide workers with a safe working environment as well as the training and equipment necessary to carry out their job without risk of injury. If you have been injured at work through no fault of your own, contact us for advice.

With the current obsession in the media with knife crime, a sense of perspective may be restored by a new study which reports that injuries and fatalities at work may be significantly under-reported in official statistics and suggests that workers are potentially at greater risk of harm at work than they are outside the workplace.

The study, entitled ‘A crisis of enforcement: The decriminalisation of death and injury at work’, has been published by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King’s College London. It says that many occupational injuries go unreported and this results in an under-estimation of ‘safety crime’. It also questions official figures reported by the Health and Safety Executive for fatal accidents at work. The total number of workplace deaths does not include those killed in road traffic accidents whilst working. If one includes these and other unreported occupational deaths, the total for 2006-2007 increases from the official figure of 241 to around 1,400. This is approaching double the number of homicides (765) in England and Wales in 2005-2006.

Non-fatal injuries at work are also under-reported, according to the report. Research carried out by the Office for National Statistics shows that approximately 75 per cent of non-fatal injuries at work are never reported. In the case of self-employed workers, this figure rises to 95 per cent. These figures show that employers are not complying fully with their legal duty to report all accidents at work.

The study’s authors claim the figures show that the real extent of workplace injuries is hidden. While violent crime in the street or at home may be many people’s worst fear, being the victim of an injury at work would appear to be more likely.

Employers have a legal duty to provide workers with a safe working environment as well as the training and equipment necessary to carry out their job without risk of injury. If you have been injured at work through no fault of your own, contact us for advice.

With the current obsession in the media with knife crime, a sense of perspective may be restored by a new study which reports that injuries and fatalities at work may be significantly under-reported in official statistics and suggests that workers are potentially at greater risk of harm at work than they are outside the workplace.

The study, entitled ‘A crisis of enforcement: The decriminalisation of death and injury at work’, has been published by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King’s College London. It says that many occupational injuries go unreported and this results in an under-estimation of ‘safety crime’. It also questions official figures reported by the Health and Safety Executive for fatal accidents at work. The total number of workplace deaths does not include those killed in road traffic accidents whilst working. If one includes these and other unreported occupational deaths, the total for 2006-2007 increases from the official figure of 241 to around 1,400. This is approaching double the number of homicides (765) in England and Wales in 2005-2006.

Non-fatal injuries at work are also under-reported, according to the report. Research carried out by the Office for National Statistics shows that approximately 75 per cent of non-fatal injuries at work are never reported. In the case of self-employed workers, this figure rises to 95 per cent. These figures show that employers are not complying fully with their legal duty to report all accidents at work.

The study’s authors claim the figures show that the real extent of workplace injuries is hidden. While violent crime in the street or at home may be many people’s worst fear, being the victim of an injury at work would appear to be more likely.

Employers have a legal duty to provide workers with a safe working environment as well as the training and equipment necessary to carry out their job without risk of injury. If you have been injured at work through no fault of your own, contact us for advice.