Slips, trips and falls cost London £80million

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is launching 'Shattered Lives' - a new campaign highlighting the cost of workplace accidents to life and business. In London last year, 4951 people were injured or killed by slips, trips or falls at work, costing the capital £79,996,000 according to the HSE. The figures are alarming - every week, one person dies from a slip, trip or fall at work and the serious injuries from slips, trips and falls make up almost a third of all injuries reported to the HSE. Every 25 minutes, someone breaks or fractures a bone at work according to the latest figures from the HSE.

In 2006-7 in London, five people were killed or seriously injured by a fall at work and 1396 were seriously injured by a slip, trip or fall at work. There were 4951 accidents, accounting for 38 per cent of all injuries to workers. Introducing the 'Shattered Lives' campaign, Steven Williams, London Health and Safety Executive Director said, "Each year, slips, trips and falls cost the British society nearly £811 million pounds. But what these figures don't reflect is the extent to which these injuries affect individual workers and their families.

"Slips, trips and falls can be viewed as being minor, funny accidents but the effects are not. It can lead to major injuries, and a lifetime of disability or time off work and in worst cases fatalities. 'Shattered Lives' will encourage people to change their attitudes: if you spot a hazard, don't assume 'somebody else will sort it out'.

"These accidents also shatter businesses through costs such as employee absence, sick pay and reduced productivity. Irrespective of the size of the business and the job that you do, it could happen to you." HSE's Shattered Lives campaign will offer support and guidance to employers and employees in the construction, building and plant maintenance and food manufacturing and retail industries where the incidence of injuries resulting from slips, trips and falls is highest.

For more information on the 'Shattered Lives' campaign please visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives/index.htm or call InfoLine on 0845 3450055 - ENDS -

Notes to Editors: 1. The Health and Safety Commission is responsible for health and safety regulation in Great Britain. The Health and Safety Executive and local government are the enforcing authorities that work in support of the Commission.

2. Last year over a third of injuries from slips, trips and falls reported to the HSE, originated in the food manufacturing and food retail industries and in catering and hospitality, over 10 major injuries a week are reported. Of the almost 11,000 injuries reported to the HSE last year from slips, trips and falls in the sectors targeted through this campaign, nearly half (46%) were from the construction, building and plant maintenance industries. 3. To view regional breakdown of slips, trips and falls incidents and industry specific statistics for food retail, food manufacturing, construction building and plant maintainence, catering and hospitality please visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/news/2008/shatteredlives.htm Public enquiries HSE's Infoline 0845 3450055 Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG

HSE information and news releases can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.hse.gov.uk/

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