CHAPTER TWO
Investigations into Reported Incidents

Key Statistics

Deaths
In the five year period, 75 deaths of workers - 15 in the construction industry - and 212 deaths of members of the public were not investigated.

In 2000/01 7 deaths of workers and 18 deaths of members of the public were not investigated

In 1996/7 almost half of the reported deaths of members of the public were not investigated. In 2000/01, this figure reduced to 10%.

Major Injuries to Workers
Over the five year period, there has been an 8% increase in numbers of injuries investigated – from 11% to 19%.

81% of major injuries remained uninvestigated in 2000/01

In 2000/01, investigation levels ranged from:
• 41% in the Agricultural Sector to 10% in the Service Sector; and
• 26% in the Marches to 11% in Greater London

In the five year period, 935 of the 1144 reported major injuries to trainees were not investigated.

In 2000/01, only 13% of major injuries in the transport sector were investigated

In 2000/01, 41% of amputations, 44% asphyxiations and 57% of burns were not investigated.

In 2000/01, whilst 69% of amputations in the Manufacturing sector were investigated, the level was only 33% in Construction industry.

In 2000/01, whilst in the North West, 73% of amputations were investigated, in Wales, the rate was only 36%.

In 2000/01, whilst 65% of burns in the Marches were investigated, in Northern Home Counties, the level was only 19%

In 2000/01, the amputations of 3 arms, 7 hands, 2 legs, 1 ear and 400 fingers were not investigated

In 2000/01, 210 burns to eyes, 14 burns to the arm and 8 burns to faces were not investigated.

In 2000/01, 40% of the 3,214 injuries which resulted from either ‘contact with electricity’, ‘contact with moving machinery’, ‘high falls’ or ‘drowning/ asphyxiations’ were not investigated.

In 2000/01, whilst 44% of explosions in the Manufacturing industry were investigated, only 22% were investigated in the Construction sector.

In 2000/01, whilst 80% of high falls in the North East were investigated, only 36% were investigated in Greater London.

Major Injuries to Members of the Public
Investigation levels increased from 2% in 1996/7 to 7% in 2000/01.
93% of major injuries were not investigated in 2000/01.

In 2000/01, investigation levels ranged from:
• 36% in the Agricultural Sector to 6% in the Service Sector and
• 19% in Wales to 4% in North Midlands.

In 2000/01, 80 of the 116 of the amputations and 222 of the 297 burns were not investigated.

Over-three day injuries
Investigation rates increased from 3% in 1996/7 to 4.5% in 2000/01
95.5% of over-three day injuries were not investigated in 2000/01

In 2000/01, investigation levels ranged from:
• 12% in the Agricultural Sector to 2% in the Service Sector; and
• 6% in the Marches to 4% in Greater Manchester.

In 2000/01, 71% of asphyxiations and 59% of electrical shocks were not investigated

Dangerous Occurrences (not resulting in injury)
Investigation levels increased from 26% in 1996/7 to 31% in 2000/01.
69% of dangerous occurrences were not investigated in 2000/01.

In 2000/01, investigation levels ranged from:
• 47% in the Agricultural Sector to 17% in the Energy/Extractive Sector; and
• 54% in the Marches to 18% in Scotland East.

In 2000/01, 73 out of 128 ‘building collapses’, 146 out of 224 ‘plant fire and explosions’ and 179 out of 230 ‘flammable liquid releases’ were not investigated.

In 2000/01, in the Marches, whilst 11 out of 17 reports of ‘machinery making contact with electricity’ were investigated, in Scotland East only 3 out of 40 similar reports were investigated.

Ill Health
Investigation levels increased from 21% in 1996/7 to 45% in 2000/01
Whilst almost 69% of industrial diseases were investigated in the West Midlands in 2000/01, only 14% were investigated in the North East.

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