HSE publishes report on fatal injuries between 2019 and 2020

Earlier this week The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published a report summarising the causes of fatal injuries reported to the HSE under RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) from the agriculture, fishing and forestry industries between 2019 and 2020. 

The landscape industry does not have its own industry category under current HSE classification, meaning it sits rather awkwardly between agriculture, fishing and forestry, and construction. Since landscaping can involve elements of forestry and construction, and possibly even agriculture, scrutiny of this HSE data is worthwhile from an awareness perspective alone.

Review of the 2019-2020 report is a sobering reminder of the ease with which serious accidents can arise from frequently performed pursuits; nearly all the fatal accidents involved machinery, falling from height, or being struck by an object. 

Fatal accidents in the forestry sector tended not to be caused by a chainsaw, but by limbs of trees or the entire tree falling on operatives during operations.  BALI’s own health and safety forum, run by the National Contractors Forum (BALI-NCF), mirrors this data. Our research has identified the highest risk associated with tree operations arises from limbs and debris falling from a height and causing injury to operatives on the ground below.

Accidents involving machinery frequently arose from the vehicle’s wheels crushing individuals either during slow speed manoeuvres, or when the parking brake had not been applied.  A frequent cause of accidents – mirrored by BALI’s own research – is during the maintenance of equipment, where operatives place themselves in danger during inspection, cleaning, or adjustment of equipment. 

Direct links to reports:

• Fatal injuries in agriculture, forestry and fishing in Great Britain 2019/20
• Summary of fatal injuries in agriculture, forestry and fishing in Great Britain 2019/20