Some new research on workplace risks for you;
Research has revealed the industries plagued with the most workplace injuries and fatalities, with the worst-affected sectors reporting up to 44,000 injuries and 23 fatalities each year.
This comes as the latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive reveal that 4.1 million workdays were lost due to workplace injuries in 2023/24, costing employers £4.1 billion. The business finance experts at money.co.uk business savings have analysed the latest HSE data to identify the industries where businesses face the most significant challenges.
Industries with the highest rates of workplace injuries:
|
Rank |
Industry |
Injury sustained in their current/most recent job (2023-24) |
|
|
Average estimated incidence |
Average rate per 100,000 workers |
||
|
1 |
Accommodation and food service activities |
44,000 |
2,820 |
|
2 |
Construction |
47,000 |
2,390 |
|
3 |
Transportation and storage |
38,000 |
2,370 |
|
4 |
Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles |
75,000 |
2,200 |
|
5 |
Administrative and support service activities |
28,000 |
2,030 |
|
6 |
Manufacturing |
51,000 |
1,940 |
|
7 |
Human health and social work activities |
79,000 |
1,780 |
|
8 |
Education |
55,000 |
1,640 |
|
9 |
Public administration and defence, compulsory social security |
33,000 |
1,320 |
|
10 |
Professional, scientific and technical activities |
20,000 |
710 |
Accommodation and food service activities have the highest rate of workplace injuries, with around 44,000 cases, or 2,820 injuries per 100,000 workers (one in 35). The most common injuries in 2023-24 were slips, trips, and falls, with 1,486 incidents.
Sectors with the most workplace fatalities:
|
Rank |
Industry |
Fatal injuries to workers (2024-25) |
|
|
Total |
Per 100,000 workers |
||
|
1 |
Agriculture, forestry and fishing |
23 |
8.01 |
|
2 |
Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities, materials recovery |
3 |
2.76 |
|
3 |
Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities |
4 |
1.68 |
|
4 |
Construction |
35 |
1.65 |
|
5 |
Transportation and storage |
15 |
0.98 |
Between April 2024 and March 2025 alone, 23 fatal workplace injuries were recorded in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector, at a rate of just over eight per 100,000 workers. This is the highest figure among all British industries.
Joe Phelan, money.co.uk business savings expert, offers tips on building a safety net to help mitigate the impact of workplace injuries:
“With the daily pressures of running a business, it’s easy to push savings down the priority list. However, this data is a stark reminder that a healthy contingency fund isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s crucial to protecting your people and your operations.
“By building a safety net, you’ll be better placed to support colleagues, while keeping the business running smoothly. Building up a contingency fund doesn’t have to be complicated. Even small, regular contributions to a savings account can help businesses stay resilient through staff absences [or] workplace incidents.
“These accounts allow you to earn interest on your savings and, crucially, the money is on hand the moment you need it. This can help you protect your employees and your business if your team members get injured or fall ill, or if you’re a victim of a crime.”
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