Preventable health & safety risks for employers revealed in latest HSE data

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual statistics for 2024/25 and the findings are a sobering reminder that workplace safety remains a critical issue. While the long-term trend shows improvement, the figures reveal persistent risks that employers can’t afford to ignore. 

The key takeaways include:

1. 124 workers sadly lost their lives in work-related accidents last year — a decrease of 14 from the previous year but broadly in-line with pre-pandemic levels.
2. 1.9m workers suffered from work-related ill health with stress, depression and anxiety accounting for more than half of these cases.
3. 700,000 workers sustained a non-fatal workplace injury.
4. 40m working days were lost, costing the economy an estimated £22.9bn.

Here, specialist regulatory compliance lawyer Claire Burrows digs into the data and provides her four top tips for employers.

Fatalities

Fatalities aren’t just numbers. They represent families and businesses that have been devastated by often preventable incidents. 

Construction & agriculture remain the most dangerous sectors

The construction sector accounted for 35 fatalities (28% of the total) — returning to pre-pandemic levels after a recent spike — while agriculture, forestry and fishing saw 23 deaths and continues to have the highest fatal injury rate at 22-times the all-industry average.

Together, these sectors represent nearly half of all workplace fatalities.

The human cost

The statistics reveal stark patterns:

• 95% of those killed were men — a trend that has remained unchanged for years.
• Workers aged 60 and over accounted for around 40% of fatalities despite making up only 12% of the workforce.
• Self-employed workers remain disproportionately affected since they represent 40% of fatalities but only 15% of the workforce. Their fatal injury rate is three-times higher than employees.

Leading causes of fatal injuries

Falls from height remain the biggest threat, responsible for over a quarter of all deaths. Being struck by moving vehicles or objects are also major contributors. Together, these causes account for 60% of all fatalities — a pattern that has barely shifted in the past five years.

Regional & long-term trends

Fatalities were recorded across all regions, with England maintaining a lower injury rate than Scotland or Wales, a reflection of industry mix. Encouragingly, the long-term trend is downward: worker deaths have nearly halved over the past two decades, from 223 in 2004/05 to 124 in 2024/25. However, the fatal injury rate has plateaued in recent years, signalling the need for renewed focus on prevention.

The public — a continuing concern

It’s not just workers who are at risk. 92 members of the public were killed in work-related incidents last year across sectors including railways, health and social work, construction and agriculture.

Non-fatal injuries — the hidden cost

While fatalities grab the headlines, non-fatal injuries are far more common:

• Slips, trips and falls on the same level make up 30% of employer-reported injuries.
• Handling, lifting or carrying incidents account for 17%.
• Being struck by moving objects represent around 10%.

While these incidents may seem minor, they lead to a significant amount of lost time and expense. 

Work-related violence

One trend that can’t be ignored is the rise in work-related violence. 

Nearly 700,000 incidents were reported last year (around 10% of all non-fatal injuries), including threats and physical assaults. 

Violence is particularly prevalent in health, social care, education and other public facing sectors where additional safeguards and training are essential.

What does this mean for employers?

The human and financial costs of getting health and safety wrong is significant and the implications go far beyond compliance to include:

• Lost productivity through absence.
• Legal and financial exposure from enforcement action.
• Reputational damage that can affect client trust and recruitment.

Understanding the most common risks (falls from height, manual handling, slips and trips and violence) is the first step. The next is taking action.

What should employers do? Four top tips

1. Review your risk assessments. Are they current and comprehensive?
2. Focus on high-risk activities. Working at height, machinery use and public-facing roles need special attention.
3. Invest in training and culture. Compliance isn’t enough — proactive measures save lives.
4. Address mental health and violence risks. These are now leading causes of harm.

Talk to us

Our team of specialist health and safety lawyers combines legal expertise with real-world insight to help you stay compliant, protect your people and safeguard your reputation. 

We work with businesses across all sectors to:

• Strengthen risk assessments and compliance strategies.
• Provide practical advice on the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and related regulations.
• Defend enforcement action and prosecutions.
• Support cultural change to embed safety and wellbeing.

Don’t wait for an incident to expose gaps in your safety systems. Your legal duties are clear. Let us help you meet them and go beyond compliance to create a safer, stronger workplace.

Through Brabners Protect, we can deliver a comprehensive, integrated and bespoke health and safety strategy to help you manage risk and avoid accidents — protecting your people and business.

Talk to us by calling 0333 004 4488, emailing hello@brabners.com or completing our contact form below.