Attention Given to Dangers Posed to Employees in the Workplace
UK Industries with the Highest Rates of Workplace Injuries and Fatalities
According to a report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and analyzed by money.co.uk business savings, certain industries in the UK have a higher incidence of workplace injuries and fatalities.
The Accommodation and food service activities sector has the highest rate of workplace injuries, with approximately 44,000 injuries and 2,820 injuries per 100,000 workers. This translates to around 1 in 35 workers being injured. Slips, trips, and falls were the most common injury type in this sector.
The Construction industry follows closely, with approximately 47,000 injuries and a rate of 2,390 per 100,000 workers. Construction also had the highest number of fatal injuries, with 51 deaths in 2023-24, accounting for 37% of all worker fatalities, making it the most hazardous industry for fatal injuries.
The Transportation and storage sector ranks third in injury rate, with about 38,000 injuries and a rate of 2,370 per 100,000 workers. This sector is also significant for fatal injuries.
Other industries with high injury rates include wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, and administrative and support service activities.
The agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector has the highest figure of workplace fatalities among all British industries, with 23 fatalities recorded between April 2024 and March 2025.
Joe Phelan, a business savings expert from money.co.uk, advises building a safety net to help mitigate the impact of workplace injuries. Small, regular contributions to a savings account can help build a safety net, providing businesses with the financial resilience they need to stay afloat during staff absences or workplace incidents.
The HSE has published its latest annual figures on fatal accident levels in the UK, showing a decrease of 14 from the previous 12-month period, with 124 workers killed in work-related incidents in Great Britain. The industries with the highest deaths were construction (45), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (21), manufacturing (15), and transportation and storage (15).
In summary, while the construction sector sees the most fatal injuries, the accommodation and food services have the highest injury rate overall in 2023-24. Transportation and storage rank third in injury rate but are also significant for fatalities. Building a safety net can help businesses stay resilient through staff absences or workplace incidents.
- In light of the high rates of injuries, it might be beneficial for businesses in the accommodation and food service activities sector to invest in health-and-wellness programs, focusing on preventing slips, trips, and falls.
- The science of workplace safety could potentially provide solutions to reduce the number of fatalities in the construction industry, as it has the highest number of fatal injuries.
- As the transportation and storage sector ranks third in injury rate and is also significant for fatalities, understanding the link between worker safety and workplace-wellness could play a crucial role in preventing incidents and securing financial stability for businesses in this sector, along with having a savings plan in place.
