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Trips and falls hurt North East businesses

Accidents in the workplace accounted for 4,000 working days being lost by businesses last year in the North East, new figures have revealed.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) between 2008 and 2009 there were 714 major injuries to workers in the region while 1,404 employees were forced to take more than three days off work following an injury.

Meanwhile, the cost to British society of all these slips, trips and fall incidents was around £800m in 2008/09.

David Cole, the HSE’s principal Inspector for the North East**,** said: “These figures highlight the very real and serious nature of preventable slip, trip and fall incidents in the workplace.

“Slips, trips and falls might sound funny but they shatter the lives of thousands of British workers ever year.

“Making improvements need not cost the earth and we are encouraging people to visit our Shattered Lives website, where they will be able to get simple and cost-effective solutions to help manage slips, trips and falls hazards in their workplace.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .