HC Deb 28 November 1983 vol 49 cc400-1W
Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many persons died in accidents at work in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and to the nearest available date in 1983;

(2) how many persons died from recognised industrial diseases caused by exposure to harmful working conditions in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and to the nearest available date in 1983;

(3) what was the approximate number of persons suffering serious occupational injury in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and to the nearest available date in 1983.

Mr. Gummer

Information is given for 1979–1982; figures are not available for 1983.

1979 1980 1981 1982
Fatal injuries reported to HSC/E enforcing authorities (1) 615 579 626 624
Fatal accidents attracting awards of industrial death benefit (2) 691 628 502 not available
Diseases: deaths resulting in award of industrial death benefit under various schemes (provisional) (3) 900 891 864 800
Major injuries reported to HSC/E enforcing authorities (4) not available 18,146 17,843
* Figures for 1979–80 were reported under different legislation for particular industries, and included only voluntary reports for the self-employed and members of the public. From 1981 with the coming into force of the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences (NADO) Regulations 1980, the coverage was extended. It required the reporting deaths to all affected by most work activities including employees, self-employed and members of the public. Road traffic accidents are excluded.
† Figures cover all deaths to employees attracting awards of industrial death benefit and include relevant road traffic accidents.
‡ Figures include all deaths from disease which attract industrial benefit under the following schemes: industrial injuries scheme, the pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and mesothelioma death benefit scheme and the workers' compensation scheme.
║ Major injuries as defined in the NADO Regulations 1980 which came into force in 1981. For earlier years, major or serious injuries were identified in different ways and only for some industries.