Allianz Engineering urges brokers against complacency
Allianz Engineering is urging brokers to remind their clients of the need for effective risk management, despite new figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which reveal that the number of people killed at work in Britain has fallen to a record low.
The HSE annual statistics, released earlier this week, show there has been a significant reduction in the numbers of people killed, injured or suffering work related ill health from April 2008 to March 2009.
Workplace fatal injuries fell from 233 in 2007/08 to a record low of 180 in 2008/09, and there was a reduction of more than 7,000 in the number of workplace injuries classified as serious or incurring more than three days’ absence from work.
Commenting on the statistics, Phil Wright, chief engineer, Allianz Engineering, said: “The figures are encouraging but, as the HSE have said, the recession has undoubtedly had an impact. History shows that when we start moving back into economic growth, the rate of workrelated injuries will tend to rise.
“Keeping the number of injuries and fatalities down is a challenge for everyone. In the insurance industry, brokers can play a crucial role in helping to ensure that clients comply with the regulations, improve safety and reduce risks in the workplace.”
The HSE continues to take a tough line with firms who put workers at risk by breaking safety legislation. In 2008/09 it brought 1231 offences to court and issued 8054 enforcement notices.
