Risk Management

Surface Engineering Industry

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has identified the "Surface Engineering Industry" as a distinct sub-sector. Surface engineering includes all manner of plating operations such as electroplating, surface coating, surface treatments including anodising, powder coating and spray painting.

Surface engineering refers to a wide range of technologies designed to modify the surface properties of metallic and non metallic components for decorative and/or functional purposes. Including improving corrosion and wear resistance to extend component life making items more visually attractive and giving special properties such as non stick surfaces.

Most of the approximately 2,000 surface engineering companies in the UK industry operate in the sub-contractor sector offering processing techniques to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The majority are small companies employing less than 50 people and specialise in specific processes. A number of larger companies have their own 'in house' processes finishing their own manufactured components. In total, the industry accounts for over £1 billion of sales per annum, employing over 10,000 people in the UK alone.

The industry has significantly higher accident rates than manufacturing as a whole. Whilst accident rates for manufacturing have dropped over the last six-year period, in surface engineering industries they have increased. The numbers of fatal accidents occurring in industry are published on the HSE website.

May 2007