There were 121 serious slips, trips and falls reported in 2008/09, up from 94 in 2007/08.

Although there were no fatalities, 42 resulted in 'major' injuries, a category which includes amputations, dislocations, loss of sight, burns to the eye, electric shock and asphyxia.

The remaining 79 injuries all required at least three days off work to enable recovery.

Across the county, there were 534 serious accidents, including 179 which were classed as major.

The HSE is launching a new phase of its Shattered Lives campaign, aimed at reducing accidnets in the workplace.

The campaign is targeted at those sectors where there is a high number of slips, trips and falls accidents each year, specifically, health and social care, education, food manufacturing, food retail, catering and hospitality, building and plant maintenance, and construction.

Norman Macritchie, Principal Inspector for HSE in Buckinghamshire, said: "These figures highlight the very real and serious nature of preventable slip, trip and fall incidents in the workplace."