The extent of workplace injury has revealed the need for better reporting

A safety charity has called for all employees to have access to clear reporting protocols after its latest study found that only 51% global workers who experienced workplace harm within the last two years reported it.

A new report by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, Engineering Safer Workplaces: Global Trends in Occupational Safety and Health, outlines these findings. It is based off data from World Risk Polls conducted every two years. Data was collected by the global analytics company Gallup. They conducted 147,000 interviews across 142 countries.

Globally, those who are employed full-time by an employer (57%) report workplace injuries more often than those who work part-time or as self-employed (49%)

The report outlines previous research that shows temporary workers fear reprisals more if they report workplace injuries.

The report found that despite being an essential part of controlling workplace hazards and risks, almost two-thirds (62%) have not received any occupational safety and health training (OSH) about the risks associated with their job. In the past two years, less than a third of workers (30%) reported receiving OSH training.

In a global context, the Czech Republic (both 77%) and Latvia (both 77%) are the countries that have the highest proportion of workers who have been trained in the past two years. Senegal, on the other hand, had the lowest percentage at only 11%.

The data shows that people who are employed full-time have a higher likelihood of having received recent training in workplace safety (41%) than those who are employed part-time.

Martin Cottam is the chair of Technical Committee 283 for Occupational Health and Safety Management in the International Organisation for Standardisation. He said, “The World Risk Poll Results should be sobering for HR professionals and those who are working to improve occupational health and safety.

The shockingly low training rates across the board and workplace injury statistics highlight global challenges we all need to work together to solve. The many tools and methods that can be used to reduce harm are often discussed, but it is now time to take action, particularly when it comes safety and health training.

Nancy Hey, director, evidence and insight, Lloyd’s Register Foundation, said: “The findings of the World Risk Poll on occupational safety and health are deeply worrying. We hope that they will serve as a warning to all those who have responsibility for the wellbeing of workers, including HR and the public health sector.

“It appears that many workers don’t have the right reporting tools at their disposal, or, if they do, certain factors discourage them from using these tools. This situation needs to be addressed. The reporting tools can be in different formats, but it’s important to make sure that all employees feel confident and comfortable using them. This is especially true for those who work part-time.

Clear reporting tools and procedures must be part of every organisational culture that promotes safety and well-being.

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