RIDBA sees countryside accidents fall
The number of accidents in the £2 billion agricultural and industrial building sector has fallen for the second year running, according to statistics published by the association of frame building specialists RIDBA (the Rural and Industrial Design and Building Association).
Per 100,000 workers, there were 1,268 accidents in 2008/9 compared to 1,569 the previous year and 2,298 in 2006/7. And during that time there have not been any deaths or major injuries, while the construction industry generally suffered 2.5 deaths and 254 major injuries per 100,000 workers in 2008/9.
RIDBA secretary Tony Hutchinson said: "The RIDBA accident rate per 100,000 workers has reduced by 24% which is obviously very good news, particularly as it is based on a 46% decrease on the previous year.
"This should reassure farmers and clients who have a responsibility under Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulations to use a contractor competent in health and safety."
While the number of directly-employed and sub-contracted workers fell by almost 50% in 2007/8 compared to the previous year, they rose in 2008/9 to a total of 946. At the same time, the total number of injuries (including injuries requiring more than three days off) dropped from a high in 2006/7 of 27 to 11 direct employees and from nine sub contractors in 2005/6 to just one, in 2008/9.
Most of the minor injuries in 2008/9 were caused by handling, lifting or carrying and there were no falls from height in this period compared to one (of less than two metres) the previous year. Other causes were slips and trips, contact with moving machinery, being hit by a moving, flying or falling object and contact with electricity.
Tony Hutchinson added: "Last year was the first year we looked at the reasons for the injuries and if one considers the amount of time our member’s workers spend working at height, it is very good news that there are no injuries caused by falls from height. This must mean that the emphasis we have all put on using the correct fall protection and prevention has had the desired effect."
The organisation has also recently teamed up with FASET, the trade association and training body for the safety net rigging and fall arrest industry, to offer its corporate members the opportunity to become qualified experienced net riggers.
This focus is in addition to RIDBA’s own Code of Practice which the organisation’s corporate members, who erect more than 100 buildings each week, already work to as further evidence of their commitment to raising standards in the field of framed building construction.
"It is very good news that once again there have been no fatal or major injuries within the workforce of RIDBA members," said Tony Hutchinson.
Almost 80% of RIDBA’s contracting members provided accident statistics.
Tony Hutchinson added: "Obviously because of the relatively small number of operatives in RIDBA statistics it is difficult to come to any certain decisions. But if we combine the last four years this represents 3,869 operatives and if our major industry rate was similar to the industry average we would expect more than 10 major injuries but we have only experienced two and they were in 2005/6."
