A new study has in Britain has revealed the industry’s most at risk of falls in the workplace, with the construction industry ranking first.
Attorneys at a litigation law firm Callahan & Blaine analysed data from the National Safety Council between 2011 and 2022 to calculate the average number of fatal falls within each industry per 100,000 full-time workers. This figure then determined the final ranking.
The study obtained data from both lower-level falls and same-level falls to determine the ranking. For lower-level falls, the point of contact with the source of the injury was lower than the surface supporting the person at the start of the fall. Meanwhile, same-level falls do not involve the individual falling from an elevated height, and the source of the injury is at the same level as the person at the time of the fall.
The study found that construction and extractionoccupations are the most likely to experience workplace falls. According to the study, the industry has an average of 4.72 fatal falls per 100,000 full-time workers per year. In 2022, there were 700 fatalities due to lower-level falls in the workplace, with the construction and extraction occupations accounting for 411 of these.
The building, grounds cleaning, and maintenanceindustry is the second most likely to experience workplace falls. The study found that the industry experienced an average of 1.53 fatal falls per 100,000 full-time workers. In 2022, there were 89 fatalities within this industry due to both falls from lower levels and falls on the same level.
Installation, maintenance, and repair is the third most likely industry to experience falls in the workplace. Between 2011 and 2022, the industry had an average of 1.10 fatal falls in the workplace per 100,000 full-time workers. In 2022, there were a total of 44 casualties within this industry due to low-level falls alone.
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations rank fourth, with an average of 1.09 fatal workplace falls per 100,000 full-time workers. Between 2011 and 2022, there were 130 falls, both fatal and nonfatal, within this industry.
Transportation and material moving occupations are fifth, with an average of 0.52 fatal falls in the workplace per 100,000 full-time workers. In 2022, there were 72 casualties due to lower-level falls and falls from the same level.
Production occupations are the sixth most likely to experience falls in the workplace, with an average of0.40 fatal falls per 100,000 full-time workers. In 2022, there was a total of 38 fatalities due to lower-level falls and falls from the same level within the workplace.
Protective service occupations are in seventh place, with an average of 0.32 fatal falls per 100,000 full-time workers. In 2022, 15 incidents resulted from low-level falls and falls from the same level in the protective service industry.
Management occupations are in eighth place, with an average of 0.31 fatal falls per 100,000 full-time workers. In 2022, there was a total of 35 fatalities within this industry because of falls in the workplace.
The sales industry is the ninth most likely industry to experience workplace falls, with an average of 0.17fatal falls per 100,000 full-time workers. In 2022 alone, there were 29 incidents within this industry due to workplace falls.
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and mediaoccupations are in tenth place. Between 2011 and 2022, this industry had an average of 0.16 fatal falls per 100,000 full-time workers.
The study also found that computer and mathematical occupations are the least likely to experience falls in the workplace, with an average of 0.0063 fatal falls per 100,000 full-time workers.
According to data from the National Safety Council, there were a total of 1,614 fatalities from same-level falls and 7,787 casualties from lower-level falls between 2011 and 2022.