Safety barriers could be the single best safety precaution to install in a workplace, in light of newly published figures by the HSE.
The statistics show that in 2013-14, 28.2 million workdays were lost through injury or ill health, costing the economy an estimated £14.2 billion, and costing some people their lives.
Over the course of the year there were 133 fatal injuries, down from 150 in the previous year, but still too many.
HSE chair Judith Hackitt said: “We should remind ourselves what these numbers actually mean – the number of times in the last year someone went out to work and either did not return home to their loved ones or came home with life-changing injuries.”
In a separate report solely focusing on slips, trips and falls, the danger of falls from height is made clear.
The report notes that in 2013-14, falls from height caused 29% of all workplace fatalities – more than any other type of incident.
Slips and trips cause the most major specified injuries, but falls from height are the next most common, highlighting the value of safety barriers in preventing incidents at all levels of severity, including the very worst injuries.