The construction sector has the highest fatality rate of the high-risk industries that were studied and is offering less frequent and less comprehensive training than other sectors, according to a new report by Cloud Assess.

The report shows that the industries with higher fatality numbers offer less training per employee, per year than safer industries, on average. In fact, just 54% of employees in the construction industry go through training every single year. By contrast, the utilities sector, the safest industry researched, has 65% of its employees complete annual training.

In addition, the research reveals a link between the measurement of training and safety, with industries with higher fatality rates least likely to measure skills competency using meaningful metrics.

For example, construction firms are half as likely to measure the success of training based on genuine behaviour changes than those in utilities.

Rob Bright, Founder of Cloud Assess, comments: “Whilst attitudes towards workplace safety have begun to shift in recent years, employees across the UK continue to lose their lives at work every single year due to a lack of training designed to build competency and improve safety. Last year alone, thirty construction workers died whilst doing their job.

“This doesn’t have to be the case. Our research shows that lives could be saved by providing all those working in high-risk roles with adequate training. The bare minimum is no longer enough when it comes to instilling essential skills in employees. Executives must take accountability for the safety of their employees and this means training for safety, not audits.”