Workplace Safety in the UK: HSE Provides Insightful Statistics
In the latest annual report published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it has been revealed that 124 workers lost their lives in work-related incidents during the 2024/25 period, marking a decrease of 14 compared to the previous year.
The report, which covers the period from April 2024 to March 2025, provides a detailed breakdown of work-related fatalities across various industries. The construction industry had the highest number of deaths, with 35 fatalities, followed closely by agriculture, forestry, and fishing with 23 fatalities. The manufacturing and transportation and storage industries each reported 15 fatalities.
The figures provided by the HSE relate to work-related accidents and do not include deaths arising from occupational diseases or diseases arising from certain occupational exposures. It is worth noting that the farming sector had the highest rate of work-related deaths, accounting for 18% of all fatal workplace incidents.
The most common cause of fatal injuries in 2024/25 was falls from a height, with 35 fatalities, representing over a quarter of worker deaths. This underscores the continued need for rigorous safety measures and training when working at height.
Sarah Albon, HSE's Chief Executive, stated that despite the stability in numbers, fatal accidents should not be accepted as an inevitable part of working life. She emphasised the importance of continuous efforts to improve health and safety regulations, industry standards, and enforcement to further reduce the number of workplace fatalities.
Looking back over the past two decades, the trend in work-related fatality statistics in Great Britain has generally been a gradual decrease. This is attributed to improved health and safety regulations, better industry standards, and increased enforcement. However, certain high-risk industries such as construction, agriculture, and manufacturing remain prominently represented in the fatality figures.
In addition to the report on workplace fatalities, the HSE also published the annual figures for mesothelioma, a cancer caused by past exposure to asbestos. In 2023, 2,218 people died from mesothelioma, a decrease of 62 compared to 2022. This highlights the ongoing impact of past asbestos exposure on public health.
For those interested in accessing more detailed official statistics, the UK Health and Safety Executive’s annual “Workplace fatal injuries” reports would be a valuable resource. These reports provide sector-specific breakdowns and trends in workplace fatalities over the years, including data from 2004/05 to the present.
In the year 2021, 123 workers were killed in work-related accidents in Great Britain, according to separate data from UK Workplace Fatality Stats 2021. This further underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to improve workplace safety and reduce the number of work-related fatalities.
- The HSE's annual report reveals that the construction industry had the highest number of work-related fatalities, with 35 deaths, indicating a need for continuous improvements in policy-and-legislation and safety measures for this high-risk industry within the context of general-news and events related to occupational health and safety.
- As also highlighted by the HSE's annual report, falls from a height was the most common cause of fatal injuries, accounting for over a quarter of worker deaths during 2024/25, emphasizing the significance of implementing proper safety measures and training in politics, events, and general-news related to work-safety and legislation.
