Cutting corners on building sites continues to cost lives warning
News that the number of construction-related injuries in the UK is on a slow overall decline is welcome, but employers and contractors are still cutting corners and endangering lives, according to personal injury specialist Lee Hart.
Lee, partner at Clarke Willmott, says the new study by construction site storage experts at SiteStak, shows that despite improved health and safety awareness, there are still too many accidents resulting in serious injury or death.
The study, using published data from the Health and Safety Executive, shows injuries and ill health to workers is costing the UK construction industry approximately £1.29bn a year, with male construction workers seven times more likely to be injured.
“Not only is this a staggering cost financially to industry but it is devastating to those seriously injured and the families of those killed.
“The report acknowledges that huge strides have been made to safety on construction sites over the last decade with non-fatal injuries in UK construction having decreased by 45.56%, but there are still too many accidents and more can be done.
“Despite improved health and safety awareness, employers and contractors are still cutting corners, often to save costs, and are endangering life and limb. We are still seeing plenty of cases where an employer’s negligence and breach of statutory duty has shattered lives,” said Lee.
The SiteStak survey also revealed male construction workers are seven times more likely than women to have a non-fatal accident or injury at work – and not just because there are more male workers. In 2019/20 there were 395 non-fatal accidents per 100,000 male construction workers compared to just 52 non-fatal accidents per 100,000 female construction workers.
Contact a specialist Serious Injury Solicitor
Lee Hart is an accredited senior litigator and brain injury specialist within the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.
To get in touch with a member of our accredited personal injury team, who specialise in catastrophic injury and fatal accident claims, please call us on 0800 316 8892 or get in touch online.
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