Injuries - completed research

This page summarises the key findings from recent completed research projects and in-house analysis relating to workplace injury statistics.

1. Trends and context to rates of workplace injury, 2005

Full report: RR386

Key findings:

• Occupation is the biggest influence on the risk of a workplace injury
  • Once occupation has been accounted for, there is no longer a statistically significant difference in injury rates between men and women or between different regions and countries in Great Britain
• New workers are at higher risk of injury than established workers
  • The risk of workplace injury is four times higher for workers in their first month with a new employer than those who have been employed in their current job for at least a year
• Shift workers and part-time workers are at higher risk of workplace injury
• Around half of the reduction in injury rates between 1986 and 2004 can be attributed to changes in the occupational mix of the British workforce over that period
• The business cycle affects injury rates with increases in GDP leading to increased injury rates. Conversely reductions in GDP at times of recession tends to reduce injury rates.
  • For more information about the effect of the economy and the latest recession, see this short briefing note prepared by HSE's Economic Analysis Unit

2. Further analysis relating specifically to the construction sector in Scotland where rates of injury are higher than the GB average

Full report: RR443

Key findings:

• When the difference in the occupational make up is controlled for, there was no statistically significant difference in the major injury rate in Scotland compared with GB. This was largely because there is a higher proportion of manual construction work undertaken in Scotland compared to other parts of GB (particularly southern England)
• There was still a small, statistically significant difference in the fatal accident rate but this was based on small numbers and hence subject to substantial chance variation

3. Investigation into RIDDOR reporting levels using the Merseyside Accident Information Model

Full report: RR528

Key findings (based on a study of persons attending the Royal Liverpool University Hospital accident and emergency unit)

• 30% of reportable injuries were reported
• Reporting levels were lowest for the self-employed and the hospitality sector
• Reporting levels were highest in central/local government
• The main reason accidents were reported was lost time of over 3 days
  • Major injuries (as defined by RIDDOR) with absence less than 3 days tended not to be reported

4. Internal analysis to determine the impact of the introduction of the Incident Contact Centre (ICC) in 2001 on reported injury data

• Analysis of the impact of the ICC and associated changes in HSE on the trend in the rate of major injuries (available via the National Archives)
• Further analysis of the discontinuity effect (available via the National Archives)

5. Impact of the change in RIDDOR reporting requirement to over-7-day reporting on reported injury rates for employees

Impact of the change to over 7-day reporting in RIDDOR (available via the National Archives)