A Simply Business survey of accidents at work suggests that accidents are happening in industries rarely thought of as dangerous.
The survey looked at 1,000 professions and analysed accident claims, finding that some professions that viewed as safe appear to be more dangerous than others seen as high risk.
According to the survey, hairdressers are seven times more likely to have an accident than carpenters, while fitness instructors are three times more accident prone than lorry drivers.
Fiona McSwein of Simply Business said:
“Our research shows that even businesses that many would consider low-risk - such as hairdressing or dog walking - carry the risk of injury, and it's particularly surprising when compared to manual trades like bricklaying or carpentry.”
Another unexpected result is that office workers in the North are more accident prone than those in the South. Perhaps less surprisingly, more accidents occur on Monday mornings as sluggish workers return to work after the weekend.
Over the last five years, accidents in small business have increased by 41%. Fortunately, in 2016, the accident rate fell – likely as a result of more businesses paying attention to health and safety.
Accidents most commonly occur as a result of lifting, tripping and being struck by moving objects. It is estimated that over 4.5 million workdays are lost in a year through people being unable to work after an accident.
No matter how careful employees in a business are, there is always a small risk of accidents. By using the correct safety equipment, signage and educating the workforce in safety procedures, a business can minimise accident risks.
