The provisional statistics published by the HSE show that in Britain between April 2012 and March 2013:

•  19,707 major injuries such as amputations, fractures and burns, to employees were reported (a rate of 78.5 injuries per 100,000 employees) – compared with 22,094 in 2011/12 (a rate of 88.5 per 100,000 employees)

•  148 workers fatally injured – down from 171 the previous year. The average for the past five years was 181 worker deaths per year.

•  Workplace injuries and ill-health (excluding work related cancer) cost society an estimated £13.8bn in 2010/11 compared with £16.3bn in 2006/07 (both in 2011 prices).