Concern at rise in work deaths; SAFETY CAMPAIGN: Call to focus on 'real risks' workers face.

Byline: By Jon Griffin

AROUND 3.2 million working days were lost to illness and injury in the West Midlands in the last year, new figures reveal.

Statistics issued by the Health and Safety Commission also show a significant rise in the number of work-related fatalities in the region.

Judith Hackitt, the new chair of the Health and Safety Commission, said that the latest figures showed that people should concentrate on the "real issues of health and safety".

Ms Hackitt said: "Never mind banning conkers or Christmas decorations, look at these figures.

"This is what health and safety is about. The figures show the real risks faced by real people, every day of their working lives, and the suffering that occurs when health and safety processes fail.

"Employers have a legal duty to protect their employees and visible leadership from the top of the organisation can truly influence health and safety culture in our changing work environments."

Marcia Davies, regional director for the HSE in the West Midlands, said: "There is no room for complacency. The HSE use a range of enforcement measures to tackle workplace ill-health and injuries and we do not hesitate to prosecute where necessary.

"Throughout the year, there were 112 offences prosecuted by the HSE, 89 of which led to a conviction.

"The average fine was over pounds 15,000, a significant increase on the previous year of over pounds 5,000. The rising enforcement figures show that negligence in workplace health and safety is not tolerated.

"There is no discernible reason for the sharp increase in fatalities.

"The causes are all too typical - falls from ladders, roofs and edges; crushing by large vehicles at the workplace; crushing during handling of materials and livestock - and occur across construction, agriculture and manufacturing industries."