Despite showing a general downward trend over the long-term, the rate of work-related fatal injuries has remained broadly static over the past decade. We examine what the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) 2024/25 statistics tell us about work-related fatal injuries, and what businesses can do to achieve a more meaningful downward trend.
According to the HSE’s annual statistics, 124 workers were killed in work-related incidents in Britain between April 2024 and March 2025. Whilst this number represents 14 fewer deaths than 2023/24, it is nevertheless 124 lives cut short.
Similarly, whilst the rate of injury per 100,000 workers has shown a general downward trend over the long term, in the past few years it has barely budged. The same industries and accident causes also continue to account for the majority of work-related deaths year-on-year.
Here are a few of the main points from this year’s HSE report.
1. Construction, along with agriculture, forestry and fishing, continue to be the most challenging sectors in which to work.
Once again, the construction industry accounts for the highest number of work-related fatalities, with 35 workers killed in 2024/25. Whilst this is a decrease on the previous two years (see our chart below), the current return to pre-pandemic levels indicates that there is still much to do across the sector. Agriculture, forestry and fishing also continue to account for a high number of work-related fatalities. In fact, its rate is 22 times as high as the all-industry rate per 100,000 workers.
Five-year comparison of HSE statistics
| 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of workers killed in work-related accidents (RIDDOR) | 124 | 138 | 136 | 123 |
| Main industry for work-related fatalities | Construction (35) | Construction (51) | Construction (45) | Construction (30) |
| Most common kind of fatal accident | Falls from height (35) | Falls from height (50) | Falls from height (40) | Falls from height (29) |
| Members of the public killed in work-related accidents | 92 | 87 | 68 | 80 |
2. Falls from height remain the leading cause of work-related deaths.
Over the past five years, falls from height have consistently remained the leading cause of work-related fatalities. In fact, this has been the case almost every year since at least 2001/02. For 2024/25, falls from height accounted for more than a quarter of worker deaths, and over half of all deaths in construction.
3. Self-employed workers are more at risk than employed ones.
Despite making up only 15% of the work force, self-employed workers accounted for 40% of fatal injuries in 2024/25, with the greatest discrepancy found in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector and administrative and support services sectors. The fact that this is not replicated to the same extent in construction is probably due to the impact of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (‘the CDM Regulations’), which impose the same duties across role holders to manage safety for both employees and non-employees.
4. More members of the public died due to work-related activities this year.
The number of members of the public who suffered fatal injuries due to work-related activities rose this year, with five more deaths recorded than last year. This is also the highest number of fatalities recorded for members of the public in the past five years, with the railway and service sectors accounting for the vast majority.