The Health and Safety at Work Inspectorate has published its annual report for 2018.
The report summarises the work carried out by the Inspectorate last year and provides information, sourced from claims made for Social Security benefit, on work-related accidents and ill health.
During 2018, the Inspectorate carried out 148 proactive inspections of high-risk workplaces, 90% of which were construction related or connected to the removal of licensed asbestos-removal materials. There were 90 investigations into serious workplace accidents and incidents, and the Inspectorate followed up on 203 complaints about working activities. Five prosecutions for breaches of the health and safety legislation were heard in the Royal Court.
Tammy Fage, Director of Health and Safety, said: “2018 proved to be a busy, but successful year, with the Inspectorate seeing significant changes to the team, as well as moving to the new Justice and Home Affairs Department.
“It is particularly pleasing to note that the decreasing trend in the total number of claims made for short-term incapacity benefit due to work-related accidents and ill health, although plateauing, continued in 2018 with the lowest recorded number of claims to date (1345 claims). This is despite 2018 also seeing the highest recorded levels of employment.
“It is clear, however, that there is still room for significant improvement in reducing these figures further, particularly within the construction industry which remains the sector where employees are most likely to suffer an accident or ill health at work.”
Mrs Fage added that all islanders should have the right to go home from work safe and well. To help achieve this the Inspectorate endeavours to lead and engage with those who influence health and safety at work so risks can be managed properly. Where necessary, however, those who fail to meet their legal obligations and expose people to unnecessary risk are held to account through formal enforcement.