Health and Safety in 2017

Think you know the true extent of health and safety in 2017 in the UK? Do you ever wonder about how much workplace injuries truly cost the economy? Tensator, experts in providing bespoke health and safety systems for organisations, have put together an infographic to highlight some interesting statistics surrounding the subject of health and safety in 2017 in the UK.

Some key findings are as follows:

The extent of Health and Safety in 2017

“70,116 non-fatal injuries”

According to research, there were 70,116 employee non-fatal injuries reported by employers in 2016/17 in the UK. The actual figure is around 609,000 injuries, according to a Labour Force Survey, which means that reported injuries make just over 10% of the actual figure and therefore actual costs could be much greater.

The cost of Health and Safety in the UK in 2017

“£1,600,000 per fatal injury – 6% increase since 2016”

On average, a fatal injury costs an employer £1,600,000. Although the amount of workplace fatal injuries in the UK is significantly less than the amount of non-fatal injuries, the repercussions are far greater. A workplace fatality leads to huge fines, as well being detrimental to the company’s exposure and reputation. A business can also experience indirect costs, such as finding a temporary employee, loss in productivity and decreased profit margins.

The penalties of Health and Safety in the UK in 2017

“18% of cases result in custodial sentences”

That’s an 80% increase since 2016. This figure is a lot higher when it comes to prosecutions from incidents that resulted in a fatality. Senior management and H&S officers can be held personally liable and their liberty at risk for severe breaches. Therefore, although cutting corners may seem like a money saving solution, in the long run, it’s highly likely you’ll incur an expensive fine, or even a custodial sentence.

The solution – Tensabarrier and Impact Protection

Research has shown that, on average, the cost of compliance is far cheaper than a fine. The cost of health and safety compliance for SMEs in 2016 was between £5k and £40k. Fatalities in the workplace are mostly due to moving vehicles and falling from height, which we offer solutions for.

Tensator’s Impact Protection barriers are an anti-shock reflex system that protect pedestrians, equipment and stock from vehicle hits. Barriers are made of a PVC material that flexes on impact and therefore doesn’t damage the vehicle, flooring or even the barrier itself. The Impact Protection solution offers up to 97% cost saving on repairs and replacements compared to a metal counterpart.

Our Tensabarrier Pit Protection solution provides warning of open pits, making them clearly visible whilst providing a safe means of entry and exit.

For more information on health and safety systems that we provide, why not take a look at our brochure? To download, please click the image below.