Annual health and safety statistics report 2011/12

Ill health
1.1 million people who worked during the last year were suffering from an illness (long-standing as well as new cases) they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work. 0.5 million of these were new conditions which started during the year.
A further 0.7 million former workers (who last worked over 12 months ago) were suffering from an illness which was caused or made worse by their past work. 2347 people died from mesothelioma in 2010 and thousands more from other occupational cancers and diseases such as COPD.

Injuries
173 workers were killed at work, a rate of 0.6 fatalities per 100 000 workers. 111 164 other injuries to employees were reported under RIDDOR, a rate of 445.4 per 100 000 employees. 212 000 injuries leading to over-3-day absence occurred, according to the Labour Force Survey, a rate of 750 per 100 000 workers.

Working days lost
27 million days were lost overall (17 days per case). 22.7 million due to work-related ill health and 4.3 million due to workplace injury.

Economic costs to Britain
Workplace injuries and ill health (excluding cancer) cost society an estimated £13.4 billion in 2010/11.

Enforcement
551 cases were prosecuted by HSE in England and Wales.
95 cases were prosecuted by local authorities in England and Wales.
34 cases were prosecuted by the Procurator Fiscal in Scotland.
15 955 enforcement notices were issued by HSE and local authorities.