A new report on major injuries in Northern Ireland workplaces has shown the construction industry making "huge steps" forward.

The latest annual report from the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) showed major injuries decrease across all workplaces by 28% to 325 compared to 453 in the previous year.

There was one more fatal injury reported during 2018/19, upping figures to 12. Of these deaths, seven occurred in agriculture, three in construction, one in manufacturing and one in the local authority sector.

HSENI Chief Executive Robert Kidd praised the construction industry for its progress managing both health and safety but warned about the management of safe work at height where two fatalities were saw this year.

Mr Kidd said: "It has been a very busy and challenging year for HSENI. We are reporting on the first year of our draft corporate plan. Excellent progress has been made in areas such as workplace health and this will continue as a central theme in our work as we know the high costs to individuals, organisations and the economy of not getting this right.

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"HSENI remains focused on the important work of stopping unsafe working practices and making industries safer every day. We are grateful to all those who share our ambition to make Northern Ireland's workplaces as safe and healthy as possible, and who have contributed to the achievement of the outcomes set out in our Annual Report."

Derek Martin, Chairperson of HSENI added: "I am encouraged that the major injury numbers have dropped by 28% on last year as we know these injuries often have devastating life-changing outcomes for workers. The number of workplace deaths is disappointing. We will continue to collaborate with our partners and industry bodies to ensure the focus remains on ensuring the safety and health of workers. I am extremely supportive of the work we have carried out in the field of occupational health and hygiene. We will continue to raise awareness of issues in the workplace which we know are associated with chronic ill-health."

The Annual Report highlights the work HSENI undertakes ranging from partnering with organisations to provide advice and raise health and safety awareness to its enforcement and inspection role. It is also worth noting that this is the first year of the Draft HSENI Corporate Plan 2018-23, a Plan which demonstrates HSENI's commitment to improving health and safety standards across all sectors in Northern Ireland.

(CM/JG)