Workplace fatalities fall – But HSE sharpens focus on known risks

SafeWorkforce urges employers to act now as familiar hazards persist

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released its latest statistics on workplace fatalities in Great Britain, showing a slight decrease in deaths, from 138 in the previous year to 124 between April 2024 and March 2025. But this isn’t a cause for complacency.

The real story behind the numbers is the persistent pattern of fatal risks, with the same causes dominating the fatality list year after year. These aren’t new or unknown dangers, they’re long-standing, well-documented hazards. And the HSE has made it clear: enforcement activity will continue to target the sectors and risk areas that repeatedly fall short.

At SafeWorkforce, we’re not just reflecting on these stats, we’re calling on businesses to take proactive action now. The risks haven’t changed. The expectation to control them has never been clearer.

What’s driving workplace fatalities?

According to the HSE’s 2024/25 report, the three most common causes of fatal injuries remain:

• Falls from height – 35 deaths
• Struck by a moving object – 18 deaths
• Trapped by something collapsing or overturning – 17 deaths

These risks are especially prevalent in construction, agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics,  industries where high-risk activities are a daily reality. And despite decades of regulation, they continue to account for the vast majority of workplace fatalities.

This tells us one thing: awareness isn’t the issue. Consistent, proactive control is.

“As we face these tragedies, it is essential to remember that behind each number is a collective responsibility to ensure health and safety for all. Regardless of the industry, the statistics emphasise the ongoing need for robust health and safety practices.”

“It is a reminder that while improvements have been made, we must never become complacent, and that being proactive, not just reactive, is key to preventing future incidents. We must consistently anticipate risks, take early action, and foster a culture where safety is embedded in every decision.” – Gary Broadly, Health and Safety Technical Manager.

What the HSE is focusing on

Based on these ongoing trends, the HSE has signalled it will continue to intensify its inspection and enforcement efforts across high-risk sectors. Key focus areas include:

• Work at height, with specific attention to unguarded edges, poorly erected scaffolding, and unsafe access equipment.
• Traffic management and moving vehicles, particularly on construction sites, in warehouses and distribution centres.
• Structural stability, including collapses during excavation or lifting operations.
• Refurbishment and maintenance, especially where there’s a risk of disturbing asbestos.

These are areas where employers are expected not only to comply with regulations but to demonstrate clear planning, supervision, and monitoring of safety-critical tasks.

The HSE has also confirmed its intention to issue enforcement notices and pursue prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 where serious breaches are found.

The ongoing asbestos threat

Beyond immediate incidents, the report also highlights the long-term health risks still impacting today’s workforce. In 2023 alone, 2,218 people died from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by past asbestos exposure.

And while many of these deaths are linked to exposures decades ago, the threat hasn’t disappeared. Asbestos remains present in older schools, hospitals, offices, and industrial buildings, and is often disturbed during refurbishments, repairs, or demolitions, putting today’s workers at risk.

If your teams work in maintenance or construction, it’s essential to:

• Identify if asbestos is present before starting work.
• Use licensed contractors for high-risk activity.
• Maintain and update your asbestos register.
• Deliver regular asbestos awareness training.

Proactivity here doesn’t just protect your workforce, it prevents prosecution and reputational damage.

What you need to do now

The HSE’s increased attention on persistent risks is a wake-up call for many businesses, especially those with complex supply chains, subcontractors, or high staff turnover.

At SafeWorkforce, we support clients across the UK with practical, hands-on safety solutions tailored to the real risks they face. We help you move beyond reactive checklists and toward embedded, everyday safety culture.

We provide:

• Work at height planning and prevention strategies, including equipment checks and competency assessments.
• Traffic and site movement risk assessments, plus tailored layouts and signage guidance.
• Asbestos management advice, surveys, and register reviews.
• On-site audits, health and safety documentation checks, and mock HSE inspection support.
• Toolbox talks and refresher training, delivered by our experienced in-house consultants.

If your business operates in construction, warehousing, engineering, logistics, or property maintenance, you’ll likely fall within the HSE’s increased enforcement radar. That’s why now is the time to review, refresh and reinforce your safety systems.

Building a proactive safety culture

Safety isn’t a one-off exercise. It’s a living process, one that evolves with your workforce, your projects, and your environment.

The businesses that stay compliant and avoid costly disruption are the ones that invest in ongoing safety leadership, not just box-ticking for audits. That means:

• Regularly reviewing risk assessments and method statements.
• Ensuring staff training stays up to date, especially for high-turnover roles.
• Empowering supervisors to lead on-site safety, not just monitor it.
• Creating clear reporting channels for near-misses and safety concerns.

The HSE is not just looking for paperwork. It’s looking for proof of safety in action.

Final thoughts

The slight fall in fatality numbers is welcome, but 124 lives lost is still 124 too many. Every death is a preventable tragedy. Every inspection is a chance to spot what could go wrong before it does.

As the HSE renews its focus on the most common, and most avoidable, causes of death at work, the question for employers is this:

Are you doing enough to protect your people?

If the answer isn’t a confident yes, SafeWorkforce is here to help. Book a site assessment or safety consultation today.

Let’s make your workplace one the HSE sees as a benchmark, not a risk.