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Industry Spotlight: Manufacturing Sector

Manufacturing Sector Health and safety The manufacturing sector in the UK is made up of a range of diverse industries with an estimated 2.5 million workers involved in some aspect of manufacture.

Over the past 5 years in manufacturing, each year an average of 22 workers died in workplace accidents.  In the same time period, there was also an average of more than 3,100 reports of major injuries and about 4,100 reports of injuries that kept workers away from manufacturing work for seven days or more.

Many manufacturing workers also suffer ill health from exposure to chemicals or other toxic articles or substances produced or involved in the manufacturing process, and it is estimated by a Labour Force Survey, that each year an average of 33,000 workers suffer from illness caused, or made worse, by their current or most recent job in manufacturing.

Manufacturing includes a large number of industries and sub-industries, ranging from heavy industry to specialist or delicate operations, and can be carried out by large organisations or SME’s and the self-employed. The health and safety hazards present are often specific to the processes involved, which differ substantially between industries, but all employers can play their part in ensuring that risks from hazards are adequately controlled and that workers have sufficient skills, knowledge and experience to work safely within their given environment and that they are suitably trained, instructed and appropriately supervised.

Efforts to improve control of health and safety risks across manufacturing must accommodate the diversity between the industries yet continue to be efficient and effective by using consistent approaches which will need to be tailored by employers to meet the requirements of specific industries.

Statistics show that manufacturing contributes 15% of the UK GDP, and provides 50% of UK exports. The industry sector employs 8.5% of the UK workforce, which is roughly 2.5 million employees but contributes 16% of reportable injuries to employees.

Small businesses and the self-employed account for 35% of the UK manufacturing workforce and 43.5% are employed by large businesses. The industry has an overall ageing workforce with 30% of employees being over 50.

We believe that health and safety can be and should be, ‘Hassle Free’ so you can focus on what you and your organisation do best.

Acorn Health & Safety is a leading provider of health and safety training and consultancy in the South West.  Our trainers and consultants come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds and have considerable, the hands-on practical experience which is reflected in our approach.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations require employers to appoint one or more competent persons to assist with health and safety measures. Our Hassle-Free Retained Service provides you with a consultant who will gain an understanding of your needs and be on hand to provide help and advice or comment on your needs. Our consultants hold nationally recognised qualifications in health and safety, supported by years of practical, hands-on experience in the real world.

Contact us for further information

Roger Broadbent, Consultant