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On the Rates of Fatal Accidents in various Occupations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

William J. H. Whittall
Affiliation:
Clerical, Medical, and General Life Assurance Society

Extract

The rapid growth of Accident Assurance, the passing of the Employers' Liability Act, and the periodically recurring discussions respecting schemes for a National Accident Fund, have created a demand for statistics on the subject of accidents, which cannot be said to have been satisfied.

The Tables given in this paper are believed to be unique as regards this country. The object of their compilation was to show the Rates of Fatal Accidents in various occupations. They are based upon a comparison of the male population in each occupation in England and Wales, as enumerated at the Census of 1871, with the average of the number of the violent deaths occurring to male persons following that occupation in England and Wales during the three years, 1870, 1871 and 1872. For the extraction of the particulars relating to these deaths from the records of the General Register Office, special permission was obtained by Dr. Farr; and it is with his cordial approval that the facts are now laid before the members of the Institute.

The Census of 1871 was taken on the 3rd April of that year. The population enumerated was therefore slightly in excess of the mean population to which the average of the deaths for the years 1870, 1871 and 1872 would have reference. The difference would, however, be slight; and for the present purpose it was thought that the population as enumerated might be considered suitable.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Institute and Faculty of Actuaries 1882

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References

page 190 note * The greater number of the adult deaths classified under “Violence not otherwise classed” are ascribed to “Accident (not otherwise described)”, “Manslaughter (manner not stated)” and “Injury (manner not stated)” —most of which it is probably right to retain. Some which are ascribed to “Murder and Suicide (manner not stated)”, should be excluded, but they are very few in number.

page 197 note * These do not agree with the numbers of “Servants, &c.” killed, as stated in the “Miscellaneous Statistics” of the Board of Trade. The latter include Trespassers, Suicides, &c.

page 206 note * It is suggested to me by Mr.Newbatt , that this is very likely due to the fact that many miners of more advanced years, though still described as “miners” , are not actually engaged in the pit, but are employed in less risky occupations about the surface.

page 217 note * This report is entitled “The Rate of Fatal and Non-Fatal Accidents in and about Mines and on Railways, with the Cost of Insurance against such Accidents” A copy is in the Library of the Institute.