BCSA Accidents Reduced by 60%16.04.2010

The accident injury statistics from the BCSA members in 2009 has revealed that Reportable Accident Frequency Rate has been reduced by 60% in a ten year period.

One of the key targets set by the Government and the Health & Safety Executive in the ‘Revitalising Health and Safety’ campaign 2000/01 was to reduce reportable accidents by 10% over a ten year period, the Construction industry set a far more reaching target of 66% reduction in the same period.

The BCSA members have achieved a 60% reduction in this time which is a very good result that demonstrates the industry is committed to improving working practices and procedures, some of which are developed with the BCSA health and safety committee to address the current issues and best practice that is based on their shared experiences and intended to help to reduce accidents and injuries.

There has been a continuing reduction of injuries relating to ‘falls from height’ particularly in the last five years and in 2009 no such injuries were recorded, which is a significant achievement for the constructional steelwork industry, compared to 2005 when there was 14 falls from height that resulted in a lost time injury.

An earlier trend did show an increase in the injury category associated with ‘falls from a height from below 2 metre’ this was reversed between 2008 and 2009. With one of the biggest injury categories of ‘falls on the same level’ showing an excellent 40% reduction.

Injuries from ‘handling, lifting and moving’ had remained constantly high over a four year period; this has also been one of the highest of the reportable injuries. However, in this category another significant improvement of 40% has been achieved.