Why health and safety still matters: lessons from the latest HSE fatal injury statistics

The data includes the deaths of both workers and members of the public reported to the main enforcing authorities for health and safety (HSE, Local Authorities, Office of Rail and Road, and Office for Nuclear Regulation) under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).

The headline figures are:

• 126 worker fatalities (a decrease of 2 from the 128 reported in 2024/25).
• 104 member of the public fatalities (an increase of 8 from the 96 reported in 2024/25).  
• The most dangerous sector by number of fatalities remains construction with 25 reported incidents.
• The top cause of death remains falls from height with 31 reported incidents.
• 93% of fatalities involved male workers.
• 32% of fatalities involved workers aged 60 and over.

Although the number of worker fatalities has been consistent over recent years, each figure represents an individual whose life was lost and whose family, friends and colleagues have been profoundly affected. Behind every statistic lies a tragic incident that could have been avoided.

The increase in member of the public fatalities is also concerning. Since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, fatal incidents involving members of the public have steadily increased and have returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Trends

When viewed in historic context, the latest figures continue to show a long-term trend of declining workplace fatalities. The 126 worker deaths reported in 2025/26 contrast with the 217 deaths twenty years ago and the 495 deaths in 1981. However, the HSE observes that while the fatal injury rate has generally fallen over time, the pace of improvement has slowed in recent years.

When considering trends, it is more meaningful to examine the fatal injury rate rather than the number of fatalities alone, as this accounts for changes in workforce size.

The 126 fatalities reported during 2025/26 equate to a fatal injury rate of 0.37 deaths per 100,000 workers, identical to the rate calculated for 2024/25 and one of the lowest rates ever recorded in Great Britain.

A three-year view

Our analysis of the figures over the last three years show that the construction industry continues to account for the highest number of workplace fatalities, while falls from height remain the leading cause of fatal accidents.

Sector and cause breakdown

The majority of fatal workplace incidents continue to occur within a relatively small number of industries. Construction and agriculture, forestry and fishing together accounted for almost 40% of worker fatalities during 2025/26.

The sector breakdown shows:

• Construction: 25 deaths, down significantly from 35 the previous year and below the five-year average of 37 deaths.  
• Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 22 deaths, broadly consistent with previous years.
• Manufacturing: 16 deaths.
• Transportation and storage: 15 deaths.
• Waste and recycling: 11 deaths.

However, when considering fatality rates rather than exact figures, a different picture emerges.

The industry with the highest fatal injury rate remains agriculture, forestry and fishing, where workers are approximately 21 times more likely to suffer a fatal injury than the average worker across all industries. Waste and recycling also continues to present a significantly elevated risk profile, with a fatal injury rate around 10 times the all-industry average.

As in previous years, falls from height remain the leading cause of fatal workplace accidents, accounting for 31 deaths, but other leading causes include:

• Being struck by a moving vehicle (24 deaths).
• Being struck by a moving object (21 deaths).
• Trapped by something collapsing or overturning (18 deaths).
• Contact with moving machinery (10 deaths).

Who is most at risk?

The demographic profile of workplace fatalities remains consistent with previous years:

• 93% of those killed were male.  
• 32% of fatalities involved workers aged 60 or over, despite this age group representing only around 12% of the workforce. The HSE's analysis shows that the risk of fatal injury increases significantly with age.
• Around one-third of fatalities involved self-employed workers, despite self-employed individuals accounting for only around 15% of the workforce.  

Over the five-year period analysed by HSE, the overall fatal injury rate for self-employed workers has been approximately three times higher than that of employees. This is partly explained by the concentration of self-employed workers in higher-risk industries such as agriculture and construction.

Fatal injuries to members of the public

While workplace safety discussions rightly focus on employees and those contracted on a self-employed basis, the latest statistics also highlight the risks posed to members of the public.

In 2025/26, 104 members of the public were killed as a result of work-related activities, representing the highest figure recorded since before the pandemic and an increase from 96 deaths in 2024/25.

These incidents occurred across a range of sectors, including:

• 32 deaths on railways.
• 59 deaths within service-sector industries.
• 13 deaths within non-service sectors, including agriculture, construction and waste and recycling.  

The figures reinforce the fact that an employer's health and safety duties extend beyond their own workforce and include anyone who may be affected by their operations.

Conclusion

Although workplace fatalities in Great Britain remain significantly lower than they were several decades ago, the latest HSE statistics show that serious risks continue to exist across various sectors and work-related activities.

Construction continues to record the highest number of worker deaths, agriculture remains the highest-risk sector when measured by fatal injury rate, and falls from height continue to be the single largest cause of workplace fatalities. It is alarming that fatal accidents involving members of the public have continued to rise as activity levels have returned to normal following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The legal position remains clear: employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and those affected by their activities, including those they engage on a self-employed basis and members of the public. However, the HSE's statistics remind us that compliance alone is not enough. Policies, procedures and risk assessments provide the framework, but it is a genuine culture of care and leadership that ultimately prevents harm.

This principle extends beyond physical safety. Whilst there is currently no official HSE dataset specifically tracking workplace fatalities linked to mental health issues, the growing focus on psychological wellbeing reflects an increasing recognition that protecting people at work means supporting both their physical and mental health in terms of the way that work is planned, managed and monitored.

The latest figures provide a timely reminder that every workplace fatality is preventable – one death is too many – and that health and safety must continue to be treated as a core organisational value rather than a compliance exercise. Organisations that embed safety into decision-making, leadership and workplace culture are best placed not only to meet their legal obligations, but to ensure that everyone returns home safely at the end of each working day.

How we can help

Our National Safety, Health and Environment Team advises organisations across a diverse range of sectors on compliance with their statutory health and safety, product safety and environmental obligations, and help them to manage their response to major incidents, and to protect their interests, particularly when faced with the threat of investigation or prosecution by the regulatory authorities. We also offer a wide range of training sessions and workshops. Please don't hesitate to contact us to discuss our services further.