2020/21 has firmly rooted health and safety in our day-to-day lives and our cultural consciousness.

The latest HSE statistics reveal some interesting points that highlight the state of health and safety in the UK, between 2020 and 2021

• Work-related ill-health cases increased from 1.6 million to 1.7 million

• New cases of work-related ill health rose from 638,000 to 850,000, a 33% increase

• The number of workers suffering from a new case of work-related stress, anxiety and depression rose by 30%, from 347,000 to 451,000

• The major cause of new and long-standing cases of work-related ill-health is stress, depression and anxiety, which accounts for an astonishing 50% of cases

• Musculoskeletal issues are next at 28%, while other types of illnesses account for 22%, Workers suffering from a new case of work-related musculoskeletal disorder rose by 6.5% from 152,000 to 162,000

• Workers who sustained non-fatal injuries (self-reported) decreased by 36%. Non-fatal injuries reported by employers also fell by 22%

• The major cause of non-fatal injuries across all industries is slips, trips and falls. In 2019/20 it accounted for 29% of incidents. In 2020/21 it rose to 33%

• Fatal injuries at work rose from 111 in 2019/20 to 142 in 2020/21. The major cause of fatal injuries is falling from height, which is consistent with previous years

• Over half of fatal injuries to workers in 2020/21 were in agriculture, forestry and fishing (34%) and construction sectors (39%)

Looking at these statistics, there’s a lot to reflect on. Among them are things we can do in 2022 to ensure that health and safety remain at the forefront of policy and strategy across a wide range of industries and sectors.