Report finds most dangerous region to work in

A new report based on Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data named Halton in Cheshire as the most dangerous English place to work in.

The finding was based on Halton having the greatest number of safety breaches in England. The second region on the list was Hyndburn, Lancashire.

The report looked at the number of infringement notices in towns and city regions. In Halton, 3,615 businesses received safety breach notices. Halton includes Widnes and Runcorn, and the part of England with the most entries in the top 20 worst regions was in the North West.

The area with the least infringements is Northampton, with only one infringement notice recorded. Infringements can lead to fines or even criminal convictions. Workers injured in the workplace can make civil liability claims.

There were 142 people killed in the workplace in 2021. The construction industry had the highest number of fatalities, with the second-worst sector being forestry, fishing and agriculture.

In a statement, Sally Felstead, from the organisation that published the research, said:

"Everyone deserves to feel safe at work, which is exactly why regulators such as the HSE and local authorities have numerous guidelines and legislation in place."

Accidents at work have a human cost, affecting the victims and their families. They also affect businesses financially and can create negative publicity. All businesses have a legal responsibility to reduce accidents.

Safety breaches can be avoided, and employee health and safety are protected by robust risk assessments, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as safety helmets, and regular health and safety training.