HC Deb 11 November 1975 vol 899 cc654-5W
Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many fatal accidents occurred at work during each of the first two quarters of 1975 and in each comparable quarter of each of the previously five years; how many and what percentage of such accidents was in the construction and engineering industries, respectively; how many and what percentage of such cases resulted in prosecutions under the Factories Act and/or under the Health and Safety at Work Act; and what were the results of such prosecutions.

Mr. Harold Walker

The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that fatal accidents notified under the Factories Act were as follows:

accidents occured at work during each of the first two quarters of 1975 and in each comparable quarter of each of the previous five years; how many and what percentage of such accidents were in the construction and in the engineering industries, respectively; how many and what percentage of such cases resulted in prosecutions under the Factories Act and/or under the Health and Safety at Work Act; and what were the results of such prosecutions.

Total non-fatal accidents reported Construction industries Engineering industries*
Number reported Percentage of total (1) Number reported Percentage of total (1)
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
1970—
March quarter 78,855 9,771 12.4 37,569 47.6
June quarter 77,918 10,259 13.2 37,059 47.6
1971—
March quarter 67,919 7,980 11.7 33,018 48.6
June quarter 68,293 8,752 12.8 32,333 47.3
1972—
March quarter 65,568 8,920 13.6 29,692 45.3
June quarter 66,307 9,303 14.0 29,435 44.4
197—
March quarter 70,996 9,164 12.9 32,517 45.8
June quarter 67,269 8,948 13.3 30,544 45.4
1974—
March quarter 63,838 8,389 13.1 29,332 45.9
June quarter 65,369 8,237 12.6 30,397 46.5
1975—
March quarter 61,407 7,684 12.5 29,151 47.5
June quarter 62,531 9,097 14.5 28,848 46.1
* Metal processing, general engineering and electrical engineering.

It is regretted that the information regarding prosecutions cannot be supplied without a disproportionate expenditure of staff time.