The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual report on work-related fatalities for 2024/25, offering a sobering reminder of the importance of continual vigilance in workplace safety.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, 124 workers lost their lives in work-related incidents across Great Britain — a decrease of fourteen from the previous year. While this reduction is a step in the right direction, each number represents a life cut short, and families, friends, and communities left grieving.
Breaking Down the Numbers
Over the past few decades, the long-term trend in fatal workplace injuries has been downward. To put this in context:
- 223 fatalities were recorded in 2004/05
- 495 deaths occurred in 1981
- 124 in 2024/25
This improvement highlights the impact of robust legislation, evolving safety standards, and growing safety cultures across industries. However, the figures also show that there is still significant work to do.
Industries Most Affected
The highest number of fatalities occurred in:
- Construction: 35 deaths — continuing to be one of the most high-risk sectors.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 23 deaths — holding the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers.
- Waste and recycling: Also continues to have one of the highest fatality rates.
These industries consistently top the fatality charts, underscoring the unique hazards present and the persistent need for strong safety leadership and cultural commitment.
Leading Causes of Fatal Incidents
The most common cause of fatal injuries remains falls from height, accounting for 35 of the total deaths (over a quarter). This echoes long-standing trends and highlights an area where targeted interventions and stricter control measures are still crucial.
Other prominent causes include:
- Being struck by moving vehicles or objects
- Contact with moving machinery
- Trapped by something collapsing or overturning
Impact Beyond the Workforce
Tragically, it’s not only workers who are affected. In 2024/25, 92 members of the public died in work-related incidents. These are people who were present in workplaces but not working themselves — such as visitors, customers, or passers-by.
Mesothelioma Deaths: A Legacy of Past Exposures
The report also covers annual figures for mesothelioma, a deadly cancer caused by historic asbestos exposure.
- 2,218 deaths were recorded in 2023, a decline from 2,280 the previous year.
- This decrease is consistent with the long-term trend, as asbestos use was largely stopped in the UK by the late 1990s.
While these numbers are falling, they serve as a stark reminder of the long-term impact of poor workplace controls and exposures that occurred decades ago.
Moving Forward: No Room for Complacency
While Great Britain remains one of the safest places in the world to work, HSE Chief Executive Sarah Albon reminds us that “we cannot accept that fatal accidents are an inevitable part of working life.”
Each death is preventable, and each life lost is a tragedy that should drive further commitment to safety improvement at all levels.
What Can We Do?
For many reading these statistics — particularly safety professionals — the question isn’t if you’re doing enough but howyou can continue to strengthen your safety approach.
Are your risk assessments robust enough?
Is your workforce fully engaged and empowered to work safely?
Do you regularly review and refresh your safety culture and training?
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
At Acadame, we believe that awareness and continual improvement are key. While this blog doesn’t tie directly into a specific training course, we’re always here to support safety professionals and businesses looking to develop their teams, share knowledge, or review their current safety strategies.
If reading this has sparked ideas, questions, or the need for a deeper discussion about how to reduce risks in your workplace — get in touch with us.
Together, we can ensure these numbers keep moving in the right direction and create safer, healthier working environments for everyone.
