Tackling workplace health and safety and people challenges together

One month into my new role as Managing Director of SafeWorkforce and SafeHR, I’ve been reflecting on the critical challenges our customers face and the responsibility we share in supporting them.

The latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics for 2024/25 paint a clear picture of the risks and costs associated with workplace injuries and ill health. These are not just numbers, they represent real people, real businesses, and real challenges that we must address together.

The data is sobering. Stress, depression, and anxiety are now the leading causes of work-related ill health, accounting for 22.1 million lost working days. Musculoskeletal disorders remain widespread, affecting 511,000 workers and leading to 7.1 million lost days. While workplace injuries are trending down, they still result in 680,000 non-fatal incidents and 124 tragic fatalities.

The financial impact is equally stark, with workplace injuries and ill health costing UK businesses £22.9 billion each year.

These figures underline the importance of proactive health, safety, and people management. This goes beyond compliance, it’s about protecting people, projects, and businesses. Every injury, illness, or absence creates a ripple effect, disrupting operations, straining teams, and damaging morale. As employers, we have both a legal and moral obligation to act decisively to prevent incidents and support our people, including those across our supply chains.

The HSE statistics are a clear call to action. Safety and wellbeing must sit at the heart of every business decision. By working together, we can reduce risk, strengthen resilience, and create workplaces where people feel supported, valued, and able to thrive.

If you want a deeper breakdown of what these HSE statistics mean in practice, our experts explore their impact on workplace safety and mental health in detail.

In just one month with SafeWorkforce and SafeHR, I’ve seen how uniquely positioned we are to help businesses navigate these challenges.

Our experts bring decades of health & safety and HR experience, earned by solving complex problems and supporting people every day. We translate that experience into practical tools, hands-on health and safety consultancy, and software that helps businesses build safer, healthier workplaces.

From managing compliance and health and safety audits to delivering tailored health and safety training, tracking incidents, and supporting workforce wellbeing, we help organisations build resilience and avoid becoming part of next year’s statistics.

As I begin my journey with this incredible team, I’m inspired by the depth of expertise and dedication across SafeWorkforce and SafeHR. Together, we are committed to empowering businesses to take proactive steps to protect their people and operations.

It quickly became clear to me that our small and medium-sized business customers are working tirelessly to grow in a scalable, sustainable, and responsible way while managing the daily pressures of running a company. That’s where our in-house expertise becomes their advantage. We step in as a true business partner alongside your team, providing the specialist support you’d expect from an internal function without the overheads. Together, we can ensure businesses are not just compliant but thriving, with workforces that feel empowered and protected.

Let’s make this the year we turn the tide on workplace accidents and incidents and ill health. I would welcome the opportunity to speak with any leadership team about how we can support your organisation in 2026 and beyond and play a meaningful role in your growth.