From October there'll be another revision to RIDDOR. After moving the goal posts last year - the old 3 days off work due to an accident became 7 days off work - they've now simplified (reduced) the number of Occupational Diseases that need reporting and also simplified the "major accidents" that need reporting.

On the whole probably a good thing - I will of course have one of my moments in 2 years time when the HSE/Government proclaim major improvements in safety because the number of reportable accidents is lower than in 2012 - cynic me?

In many ways RIDDOR was set in the past so simplification is good for us all - but I do recognise that any past statistics are of dubious value to compare going forwards.

You can download a free draft of the new Regs/Guidance here - HSE Downloads

The fatal accident data for 2012-2013 was released on 3rd July. In the last year 148 people were killed at work - a sobering figure but on a downward trend.
Considering that fatal road accidents in the UK account over 10 times that number (1901 in 2012) the numbers do show that most companies working in the right way.

Two thirds of the fatalities are linked to Falls from Height, Being Hit by a Vehicle, being struck by a moving object (it means either a machine or someone decided a Fork Lift was an object nor a vehicle).

Some industries will always have an element of risk - but falls from height are easily prevented and vehicle accidents again are preventable. 

Yes safety gets too OTT all too often, and everyone jumps around making soundbites to the press when a muppet with a clipboard departs from reality (oh pick any elf and safety story) - but sometimes the focus really ought to be on why people still die needlessly at work. The stupidity of banning doormats, hot cross buns, whatever is just dumb and funny - the sad truth is someone not going home after an accident at work maybe deserves a headline; and the condemnation maybe ought to be refocused a little to the rare instances of companies who do place their employees lives at risk.