Top Health and Safety Statistics | UK and Global 2025

Numbers tell the story that words alone cannot. Behind every health and safety statistic is a person, a workplace, a business decision, and an obligation. Understanding the scale and direction of workplace harm — in the UK and globally — is the starting point for making the case for better safety management, allocating resources effectively, and demonstrating to directors, boards, and regulators that action is necessary. These 30 essential health and safety statistics, drawn from the most authoritative sources available, cover the full picture: from fatalities and injuries to mental health, sector risks, enforcement, and the measurable return on investment that effective safety management delivers. For UK and global businesses working with Health and Safety Consultants, these figures matter.

UK Workplace Injury and Fatality Statistics

1. 124 workers were killed at work in Great Britain in 2024/25

The Health and Safety Executive recorded 124 worker fatalities between April 2024 and March 2025. This represents a welcome fall from 138 deaths the previous year and continues the historic long-term decline from 495 deaths in 1981. However, the fatal injury rate has remained broadly flat over the past decade, suggesting the relatively easy gains from legislative change and awareness have already been achieved.

Every one of these 124 deaths was, in the HSE's own terms, preventable.

2. Agriculture has the highest fatal injury rate of any UK sector at 8.01 deaths per 100,000 workers

While construction accounts for the largest raw number of fatalities (35 in 2024/25), the HSE's fatal injury statistics show that agriculture, forestry and fishing has by far the highest rate per 100,000 workers at 8.01, compared to 1.65 for construction and the all-industry average of just 0.37. This makes farming statistically the most dangerous occupation in Great Britain when size of workforce is accounted for.

3. Construction accounts for 28% of all UK workplace fatalities

Despite employing a fraction of the total workforce, the construction sector continues to account for more than one in four of all worker deaths. HSE's construction statistics show this disproportionate risk has persisted for decades. Falls from height, being struck by moving objects, and being struck by moving vehicles are the three leading causes across construction and account for 60% of all fatal injuries when averaged across the sector over five years.

4. 680,000 workers suffered a non-fatal workplace injury in 2024/25

The Labour Force Survey data published by the HSE records 680,000 self-reported non-fatal injuries in 2024/25 — an increase of 76,000 from the previous year. RIDDOR-reported injuries (those formally notified by employers) reached 59,219, significantly lower than the self-reported figure, reflecting widespread under-reporting of less serious incidents.

5. The most common cause of non-fatal injury in the UK is slips, trips, and falls

Slips, trips, and falls on the same level remain the single largest cause of non-fatal workplace injury across all sectors in Great Britain, according to HSE non-fatal injury statistics. Manual handling (handling, lifting, or carrying) accounts for 17% of all non-fatal injuries, unchanged from the previous year. Being struck by a moving object ranks third.

The HSE 2024/25 statistics record 1.9 million workers experiencing work-related ill health in 2024/25, the highest figure on record and an increase from 1.7 million the previous year. This figure significantly exceeds pre-pandemic levels, indicating that work-related ill health has not returned to its historical baseline following Covid-19.

7. Stress, depression and anxiety account for 52% of all work-related ill health cases

Work-related stress, depression, and anxiety affected an estimated 964,000 workers in 2024/25, according to HSE ill health statistics. This represents 52% of all work-related ill health — making mental health the leading cause of workplace ill health in Britain, ahead of musculoskeletal disorders. The 964,000 figure is a record and an increase of 180,000 cases from the previous year.

8. 22.1 million working days were lost to stress, depression, and anxiety in 2024/25

The HSE working days lost statistics record 22.1 million working days lost to work-related stress, depression, and anxiety — an average of 16.4 days per affected worker. Musculoskeletal disorders account for a further 7.1 million lost days. These two conditions together account for more than three-quarters of all working days lost to work-related ill health.

9. 511,000 workers suffered musculoskeletal disorders in 2024/25

HSE musculoskeletal disorder statistics record 511,000 cases in 2024/25, accounting for 27% of all work-related ill health. The affected body areas most commonly reported are the back, upper limbs and neck, and lower limbs. Musculoskeletal disorders remain particularly prevalent in construction, transportation and storage, and administrative and support services.

Total working days lost — combining ill health and non-fatal injuries — reached 40.1 million in 2024/25, an increase of 6.4 million from the previous year, according to the HSE. This represents approximately 1.46 working days lost per worker, a significant operational and economic burden spread across every sector and employer size.

UK Economic Cost Statistics

11. Workplace injuries and ill health cost the UK economy £22.9 billion in 2023/24

The total estimated cost of workplace injuries and new cases of work-related ill health reached £22.9 billion in 2023/24, according to HSE's cost of injury and ill health estimates. This figure encompasses both the direct financial costs (loss of output, healthcare, and compensation) and a valuation of the human costs of harm. The majority of these costs fall on individuals, with employers bearing approximately £4.3 billion and the government absorbing £5.2 billion.

12. HSE enforcement fines exceeded £33 million in 2024/25

The HSE secured 246 criminal prosecutions in 2024/25 with a 96% conviction rate, resulting in fines exceeding £33 million, according to HSE enforcement statistics. A further 4,400 enforcement notices were issued, comprising approximately 3,200 improvement notices and 1,200 prohibition notices. The Fee for Intervention scheme charges £174 per hour where material breaches are identified, creating additional financial exposure for non-compliant employers.

13. For every £1 invested in health and safety, businesses save between £2 and £6

Research by the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) consistently demonstrates that effective safety programmes generate returns of £2 to £6 for every £1 invested. This return arises through reduced injury costs, lower insurance premiums, fewer production disruptions, reduced absence, and improved employee retention.

14. The indirect costs of workplace accidents are typically 2 to 3 times higher than direct costs

Research referenced by OSHA demonstrates that the indirect costs of workplace incidents — including management time, production disruption, recruitment of replacement staff, and reputational impact — consistently run 2 to 3 times higher than direct costs such as medical treatment and compensation payments. This multiplier effect means that visible injury costs significantly understate the true business impact of poor safety management.

UK Mental Health and Burnout Statistics

15. One in five UK workers took time off due to stress-related mental health in the past year

Mental Health UK's Burnout Report 2025 found that one in five UK adults (21%) needed time off work due to poor mental health caused by stress in the past year. Among workers aged 18 to 24, this rises to more than two in five, indicating a pronounced generational burden. Nine in ten adults (91%) reported experiencing high or extreme pressure or stress at least some of the time in the previous year.

16. Poor workplace mental health costs UK employers approximately £56 billion every year

Research cited by MHFA England estimates that poor workplace mental health costs UK employers around £56 billion per year — a 25% increase since 2019 — through a combination of sickness absence, presenteeism (attending work while unwell), and staff turnover. This figure, significantly larger than the HSE's broader cost estimate, reflects the full economic burden including productivity losses that official statistics do not capture.

17. Only 32% of workplaces have plans to identify and prevent burnout

Mental Health UK's Burnout Report 2025 found that despite burnout's recognised impact on individuals and organisations, only 32% of workplaces have documented plans to identify and prevent it. The same report found that just 46% of workers feel their manager has the skills to support mental health, highlighting a significant gap between the scale of the problem and the organisational capacity to address it.

18. Globally, 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety disorders result in the loss of approximately 12 billion working days annually at a global level, according to data referenced by the World Health Organization. Mental health conditions cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion per year through reduced productivity. These conditions are the leading cause of disability worldwide and represent one of the most significant and fastest-growing occupational health challenges across all sectors and economies.

Global Workplace Safety Statistics

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that approximately 2.93 million people die from work-related causes annually worldwide. Of these, approximately 2.58 million deaths are attributable to work-related diseases and 0.32 million to occupational injuries. This figure means that work kills more people globally every year than conflict and violence combined.

20. 395 million workers worldwide suffer non-fatal work injuries annually

The ILO's global estimates recorded by the Lloyd's Register Foundation's World Risk Poll indicate that approximately 395 million workers worldwide sustain non-fatal work injuries each year. The burden of workplace injury is not distributed equally: around one in three fatal occupational injuries globally occurs among agricultural workers, and 65% of global work-related mortality is estimated to occur in Asia.

Research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health and referenced by the ILO estimates that work-related harm imposes economic losses of around 5% of global GDP annually. This makes occupational health and safety one of the most significant economic issues facing the global economy, yet it remains systematically underinvested relative to its scale of impact.

22. Heat stress will eliminate the equivalent of more than 80 million full-time jobs by 2030

The ILO's 2024 World Day for Safety and Health at Work report estimates that by 2030, more than 2% of total global working hours will be lost annually due to heat stress, equivalent to more than 80 million full-time jobs. This burden falls disproportionately on outdoor workers, particularly in agriculture, construction, and waste collection, and is growing as climate change intensifies.

Sector-Specific Statistics

23. Agriculture has 8 times the fatal injury rate of the average UK workplace

Agriculture, forestry and fishing recorded a fatal injury rate of 8.01 per 100,000 workers in 2024/25, compared to the all-industry average of 0.37 per 100,000, according to HSE fatal injury statistics. This means that agricultural workers are more than twenty times more likely to suffer a fatal workplace injury than the average UK worker. Contact with moving machinery, falls from height, and being struck by moving vehicles or objects are the leading causes.

24. One in 40 construction workers suffered a non-fatal injury over the three-year period to March 2025

IOSH Magazine's analysis of HSE construction statistics found that approximately 50,000 construction workers self-reported non-fatal injuries over the three years to March 2025, equivalent to 1 in every 40 workers in the sector. Construction's non-fatal injury rate of 2.5% per 100,000 workers is statistically significantly higher than the all-industry average, reflecting the physical nature of construction work and the concentration of high-risk activities.

25. Public administration, education, and healthcare have above-average rates of work-related ill health

HSE statistics by industry consistently show that public administration, education, and health and social care have statistically higher rates of work-related ill health than the all-industry average. Work-related stress, depression, and anxiety are the primary drivers in all three sectors, reflecting the emotional demands of frontline, public-facing, and caring roles combined with sustained workload pressure.

International Enforcement Statistics

26. France recorded 717,719 recognised workplace accidents in 2023/24, with 759 fatalities

France's Assurance Maladie figures reveal one of the EU's highest absolute workplace accident burdens, with 717,719 recognised cases in the most recent full reporting year, of which 759 were fatal. France's workplace fatality rate is one of the highest among large EU economies, prompting the government to introduce significant enforcement reforms in July 2025, including the ability to impose penalties without a preceding accident.

27. Spain recorded 668,801 work accidents in the first seven months of 2025 alone

Spain's Ministerio de Trabajo y Economía Social data shows 668,801 workplace accidents in January to July 2025, with 351 fatal. Spain's high accident rate has driven a sustained programme of legislative strengthening, including the 2025 LPRL reform mandating formal psychosocial risk assessment and digital disconnection protocols for all employers.

28. The Netherlands Labour Authority completed over 20,000 workplace inspections in 2024, with enforcement action in around 35% of cases

The NLA (Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie) completed more than 20,000 workplace inspections in 2024, issuing improvement notices or fines in approximately 35% of cases. Unlike the UK's predominantly reactive inspection approach, the NLA conducts proactive inspections across all industries, making unannounced visits a routine feature of the Dutch compliance environment rather than an exceptional event.

ROI and Compliance Statistics

29. Businesses with strong safety cultures are 50% more likely to retain employees

Research referenced by the British Safety Council links strong safety culture to significantly improved employee retention. Organisations where workers feel genuinely protected are 50% more likely to retain staff year on year. Given that the average cost of replacing an employee is estimated at one third of annual salary, retention improvements alone generate substantial return on safety investment.

30. Great Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work — but significant risks remain

HSE Chief Executive Sarah Albon confirmed that Great Britain "maintains its position as one of the safest places to work globally, built on more than 50 years of health and safety regulation." But she added that "workplace health challenges persist, particularly around mental health." The UK's fatal injury rate of 0.37 per 100,000 workers is among the lowest in Europe, but the burden of work-related ill health — particularly stress, depression, and anxiety — continues to rise and remains the defining occupational health challenge of the 2020s.

What These Statistics Mean for Your Business

The picture these statistics paint is clear. Physical workplace hazards have reduced significantly over 50 years of legislation and enforcement. Fatal injury rates are near historic lows. But work-related ill health — driven overwhelmingly by stress, mental health conditions, and musculoskeletal disorders — is at or near record highs and continuing to rise.

For UK and global businesses, this creates a specific set of priorities:

Act on mental health as a legal obligation, not a cultural preference. Stress risk assessment is not discretionary under UK law. Psychosocial risk assessment is mandatory in France, Spain, and the Netherlands. The evidence base for management is well established, and the cost of inaction is measurable.

Use sector data to prioritise. If you operate in agriculture, construction, healthcare, or logistics, the statistics demonstrate elevated risk profiles that require specific and sustained attention. Regulatory enforcement activity follows the same risk priorities.

Understand the international picture. Global Health and Safety Consultants help businesses navigate the different enforcement environments and compliance requirements across the jurisdictions where they operate. France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy each have distinct obligations that go beyond UK requirements in specific areas.

Invest proactively. The return on investment data is clear. For every £1 spent on effective safety management, businesses save between £2 and £6. The indirect costs of accidents dwarf the direct ones. The case for professional health and safety support is not only moral — it is financial.

Audit regularly. Health and Safety Audits provide the independent, objective assessment that internal review cannot deliver. They identify gaps before regulators find them and demonstrate to directors, boards, and insurers that compliance is being actively managed.

Health and Safety Consultants and Software solutions make the management of compliance data, risk assessments, training records, and audit findings efficient and visible across organisations of all sizes.

How Arinite Supports Businesses Responding to These Statistics

Arinite provides comprehensive health and safety support across the UK and 50+ countries, helping organisations translate statistics into action.

Risk assessment: Identifying and controlling the hazards that drive the figures above, including specialist psychosocial risk assessment.

Health and Safety Audits: Independent compliance assessment providing objective benchmarking against legal requirements and best practice.

International Health and Safety Audits: Consistent assessment across global operations, accommodating jurisdiction-specific requirements in France, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and beyond.

Training: Health and safety training translating statistical risks into practical management skills for managers and employees.

Health and Safety Consultants and Software: Technology enabling efficient, data-driven compliance management across dispersed workforces and international sites.

Supporting over 1,500 global businesses with a 95%+ client retention rate, Arinite's CMIOSH-qualified consultants help organisations turn these statistics into better workplaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the HSE publish its annual statistics?

The HSE publishes its annual statistics at hse.gov.uk/statistics, updated annually each November. The statistics cover fatal injuries, non-fatal injuries, work-related ill health, working days lost, enforcement activity, and the estimated costs of workplace harm.

What is the biggest cause of workplace ill health in the UK?

Work-related stress, depression, and anxiety is the single largest cause of work-related ill health in Great Britain, accounting for 52% of all cases and 964,000 affected workers in 2024/25, according to HSE statistics. It is also responsible for the most working days lost — 22.1 million in 2024/25.

Which industry has the highest workplace fatality rate in the UK?

Agriculture, forestry and fishing has by far the highest fatal injury rate at 8.01 per 100,000 workers in 2024/25, according to HSE fatal injury statistics, compared to the all-industry average of 0.37. While construction accounts for the highest number of absolute deaths, agriculture's rate per worker significantly exceeds all other sectors.

How do UK workplace statistics compare internationally?

Great Britain has one of the lowest workplace fatality rates in Europe. However, work-related ill health rates — particularly stress and musculoskeletal disorders — are among the highest in developed economies. International Health and Safety Consultants help businesses benchmark performance across jurisdictions.

How can these statistics justify investment in health and safety?

The return on investment is measurable: £2 to £6 saved for every £1 invested in effective safety management, according to ASSP research. The £22.9 billion annual cost of workplace harm in the UK represents the cost of inadequate management, not the cost of good management. A Gap Analysis Call with Arinite can help identify where targeted investment in your business would have the greatest impact.

Taking the Next Step

Statistics create context. Action creates change. Whether you are building the internal business case for health and safety investment, preparing for a regulatory inspection, or managing compliance across international operations, the evidence base for proactive safety management is clear and compelling.

Assess your position: Take our Health and Safety Quiz to evaluate your current compliance across key areas.

Discuss your situation: Book a free Gap Analysis Call with an Arinite consultant to translate these statistics into a specific action plan for your business.

Get expert support: Contact Arinite to learn how our Health and Safety Consultants support over 1,500 global businesses in turning compliance obligations into safer, better-performing workplaces.

Arinite is a leading provider of Health and Safety Consultants services, supporting over 1,500 global businesses across the UK and 50+ countries. Sources: HSE, ILO, WHO, Mental Health UK, MHFA England, British Safety Council, IOSH Magazine.