Number of Scots workers killed on rise

THE number of people killed at work in Scotland rose by six last year, new figures showed today.

The Health and Safety Executive said 20 people died in accidents at work in Scotland between April 2011 and March 2012, compared with 14 in the previous 12 months.

The oldest was 84-year-old John Reid, who was struck by a moving vehicle on a West Lothian farm last December.

Despite a rise in the number of fatal incidents, the number of major injuries sustained at work in Scotland fell by 420, from 2660 to 2240.

The largest number, for the second year running, was in Glasgow where there were 335 major injuries sustained, followed by Edinburgh with 187.

Another 7447 Scotland workers suffered injuries which required at least three days off work in 2011/12, down from the 7667 recorded in 2010/11.

HSE, Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, urged Scots employers to prioritise workers’ safety in the new year. David Snowball, HSE director for Scotland, said: “I hope that in 2013 employers will tackle the real, rather than the trivial, dangers that workers face so we can reduce the number of workplace deaths and major injury.”