The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released its latest annual figures on work-related fatalities in Great Britain, revealing 124 workers lost their lives in 2024/25. This marks a decrease of 14 from the previous year and is broadly consistent with pre-pandemic levels. For perspective, fatalities numbered 223 in 2004/05 and 495 in 1981.
The sectors most affected were construction and agriculture. Construction accounted for the highest number of fatalities with 35 deaths, while agriculture, forestry and fishing followed with 23. When adjusted for workforce size, agriculture, forestry and fishing continue to have the highest fatal injury rate of all sectors, with waste and recycling following closely behind.
Falls from height remain the most common reason for work-related deaths
The most common cause of worker fatalities was falls from height, responsible for 35 deaths, which represents more than a quarter of the total for the year. The report also highlights the deaths of 92 members of the public in work-related incidents, where individuals were present in a workplace environment but not working themselves.
HSE Chief Executive Sarah Albon stressed the continued importance of safety efforts:
“Great Britain remains one of the safest places in the world to work, but we must remember that behind each statistic is a life lost, and families forever changed. While the long-term trend is encouraging, we cannot afford complacency.”
She urged businesses to continue using the HSE’s free guidance and resources to keep improving workplace safety standards.
Separate figures for 2023 also revealed 2,218 deaths from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by past asbestos exposure. This represents a decrease of 62 from 2022 and is significantly below the 2011 to 2020 average of 2,508 annual deaths. The majority of mesothelioma cases reflect historic exposures, often before the 1980s, with numbers expected to continue declining over the next decade.
The data excludes fatalities resulting from occupational diseases not related to accidents, as well as deaths among patients and service users in health and social care settings regulated by the Care Quality Commission in England.
HSE continues to urge all employers and dutyholders to prioritise safe working practices and seek further support where necessary.
