ONE person in Gwent died at work during 2010/11, and 250 suffered a major injury, new figures reveal.

The area’s single workplace death was the same as for the previous year, and there was a slight rise in major injuries.

But a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) boss in Wales said one death is too many, and a 16 per cent increase in workplace deaths across Great Britain means employers must spend more time tackling the dangers.

Gwent’s 2010/11 workplace death occurred in Monmouthshire, a 62-year-old man involved in quarrying stone for construction.

Three of Gwent’s five council areas – Newport, Torfaen and Caerphilly – recorded increases in major injuries at work, among seven out of 22 council areas Wales-wide.

Newport’s increase in major injuries, up 28 to 102, was the biggest in Wales, but overall such injuries were down by 92 to 1,399.

“The family of the worker in Monmouthshire who lost their life last year had to face Christmas without their loved one,” said Nick O’Connor, principal inspector for the HSE in Wales.

Hundreds of other workers have had their lives changed forever by a major injury.

“Employers need to spend their time tackling the real dangers workers face and stop worrying about trivial risks.

“We still have one of the lowest rates of workplace deaths in Europe, but one death is still too many.”

The HSE’s provisional figures for Wales for 2010/11 also show an eight per cent fall in workplace injuries resulting in three or more days off. In Gwent, only Torfaen recorded an increase in this category.

● There were 171 workplace deaths in Britain last year, against 147 in 2009/10.