If you think about what are the most dangerous jobs in the country, you might be surprised to learn that some of the most perilous occupations are actually very common roles! Yes, working as a bomb disposal expert is very risky, but did you know that you are far more likely to be seriously injured as a construction worker or farmer?

The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) was set up under the Government’s Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They monitor and track all workplace accidents and incidents and aim to reduce the risks associated with the workplace and minimise workplace injuries and fatalities.

As part of this, the HSE regularly report on annual accident data and worryingly, recent Health and Safety statistics have highlighted that workers in certain industry sectors are far more at risk than others.

Farming

From the outside, farming can seem like a rural idyll but it actually accounts for one in every five on-the-job fatalities in the UK. Farmers and others who work in the industry face many dangers in their work – like construction, falls from height present a definite risk, but others include handling dangerous livestock, operating large, heavy machinery, dangers from chemicals and toxic fumes from silo and slurry pits.

Construction

One could argue that construction sites are inherently dangerous and so it is not surprising to learn that workers in this industry are at a higher risk of death or serious injury, and families could be eligible to make a wrongful death claim with somewhere like Valiente Mott (https://valientemott.com/practice-areas/wrongful-death-attorney/) if these deaths could have been avoided in the first place. In 2013/14, 42 construction workers tragically lost their lives, with the majority of these deaths caused by a fall from height.

Garages

When you take your car for its annual service, do you ever think about the dangers associated with working in a garage? No, neither did we, but with 277 major injuries reported in 2013/14 it is statistically a very dangerous industry.

Manufacturing

Many different businesses operate within the manufacturing industry, which is a big employer in the UK with an estimated 2.5 million workers. It is another dangerous occupation, with 14 fatalities recorded in 2013/14. As with construction and farming, the incorrect use of large, dangerous machinery, along with the absence of safety gear such as shoes, helmets, and gloves (available at https://unigloves.co.uk/ and similar sites), to name but a few, is often to blame for deaths and serious injuries in this particular sector. Many of these accidents could have been avoided by carrying out timely health and safety checks of the manufacturing unit as well as introducing equipment like a safety gate for stairs or barriers along open areas.

Waste and recycling

Getting rid of the nation’s waste is also a risky business. Although this industry only accounts for around 0.5% of the British workforce, it is responsible for 2.6% of reported injuries to employees. There were also four fatal injuries to workers in 2013/14.

Every death in the workplace is an avoidable tragedy as are serious injuries. If you have experienced the loss of a loved one at work, or if you have suffered a serious injury yourself in the workplace, a specialist accident at work solicitor will be able to guide you in making a claim for compensation.

Freeclaim Solicitors have over 25 years’ experience in helping clients who have been injured at work, with a strong focus on early medical assessment and tailored rehabilitation in addition to compensation which reflects the true extent that the accident has impacted on your life.