Construction fatalities have hit a record low, according to new figures released today by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
In the construction industry, 53 employees were killed at work in 2008-09, a drop of 26% the previous year when 72 workers died.

Four members of the public also died in accidents connected to construction work.

The rate of fatal injuries in the sector in this period (12 months from 1/04/2008 to 31/03/2009) was 2.4 per 100,000 workers, making construction still one of the more dangerous industries to work in.

An average of the previous five years shows a rate of 3.4 for the sector, showing an overall downward trend in the rate of fatal injury to workers in this industry.

In agriculture 26 workers suffered fatal injuries in 2008/09 with a corresponding rate of 5.7 deaths per 100 000 workers. In manufacturing there were 32 worker deaths and the rate of fatal injury was 1.1 per 100 000 workers. In the services sector there were 63 worker fatalities, and the rate of fatal injury is 0.3 per 100,000.