The construction industry lost more than 130,000 work days to injuries each year during the period 2014 to 2017.
New research from insurer Direct Line found there were 26,196 non-fatal accidents recorded on building sites in the five years between 2012 and 2017, and 196 fatal.
Almost half (49%) of fatal accidents on a building site were the result of workers falling from a height.
Meanwhile, during 2015/16, a total of 246 construction cases were brought to trial by the Health and Safety Executive for safety failings that resulted in at least one conviction, while 205 of these cases (83%) resulted in the employer being issued with a fine.
Source: Direct Line for Business 2018
In the following year (2016/17), the number of cases brought to trial that resulted in a conviction fell to 206, with the number of fines also falling to 156 (76%). In the same time-period, 65 Improvement Notices and 53 Prohibition Notices were served.
Regionally, the East and South East have had the highest number of prosecution cases by the Health and Safety Executive. Thirty-nine successful convictions were recorded between 2012 and 2017. London (30) and Wales and South West (25) complete the top three for the number of convictions in this time-period.
The number of deaths in construction has fallen, with 2016/17 seeing the lowest number of fatal accidents in the sector in the last five years with just 30 deaths, compared to 47 in 2015/16. This decrease was driven by a decline in the number of fatal accidents caused by falling from a height (down 27%), while deaths caused by being trapped by a collapsed or overturned item fell by 88%.
The figures were revealed as part of research that showed that across the UK, workers took 4.3 million sick days between 2014 and 2017. Stress, depression or anxiety were found to be the most common illnesses keeping people off work, with more than 12.5 million days lost by more than 526,000 workers in the 2016/17 financial year alone.
Musculoskeletal disorders, breathing or lung issues, upper limb or neck problems are other common ailments that keep workers from attending their job.
Matt Boatwright, head of Direct Line for Business, said: “Our research highlights that further improvements could be made to ensure productivity does not suffer due to sick days following accidents at work. Many jobs are dangerous, but the construction industry in particular comes with a lot of risks. A simple slip or fall could have disastrous consequences for an employee and a business as a whole.
“Business owners should ensure they have the appropriate cover in place to cover them should they be liable for an accident occurring due to the work they are undertaking. Employers’ liability will cover them if an employee is injured and public liability cover will be required in the event that an injury is caused to a third party."
