GB Sees Increase in Workplace Fatalities for 2023/24
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in Great Britain has released its annual statistics for 2023/24, indicating a concerning increase in workplace fatalities. A total of 138 workers lost their lives due to work-related accidents between April 2023 and March 2024. This marks an increase of two deaths from the previous year's figure of 136, and importantly, shows that workplaces are no safer than they were a decade ago.
The provisional data, which will be finalised in July 2025, reveals that 65% of these fatal injuries occurred in just three sectors: construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing, and manufacturing. The construction sector alone saw 51 worker deaths, an increase of four from the prior year, and its fatal injury rate is approximately five times higher than the average across all industries. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing continue to be particularly high-risk, with a fatal injury rate 21 times higher than the average.
Falls from height, being struck by a moving vehicle, and being struck by moving objects remain the leading causes of fatal injuries, collectively accounting for over half of all fatal accidents. Furthermore, the statistics highlight a persistent trend: male workers accounted for 95% of all worker fatalities, and workers aged 60 and over, who make up only 11% of the workforce, represented 34% of fatalities.
Work-Related Ill Health and Non-Fatal Injuries in GB
Beyond fatalities, the HSE's report also shed light on work-related ill health and non-fatal injuries. While the number of workers reporting work-related ill health saw a slight decrease from 1.8 million in 2022/23 to 1.7 million in 2023/24, the rate remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. Stress, depression, or anxiety accounted for a significant portion, affecting an estimated 776,000 workers. Musculoskeletal disorders also remained a major concern, affecting 543,000 workers.
Approximately 604,000 workers self-reported non-fatal injuries in 2023/24, an increase from 561,000 in the previous year. These injuries, along with ill health, resulted in an estimated 33.7 million working days lost in 2023/24. The economic cost of workplace injuries and new cases of work-related ill health reached an estimated £22.9 billion in 2023/24.
Ireland Reports Record Low Fatalities in 2024
In contrast to Great Britain, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in Ireland has reported a significant decline in work-related fatalities for 2024, reaching a record low. Provisional data indicates 33 work-related fatalities, a notable decrease from 43 in 2023. This brings the fatality rate per 100,000 workers down to 1.2, the lowest since the HSA's inception in 1989.
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The reduction is particularly encouraging in historically high-risk sectors. The construction sector saw a 50% reduction in fatalities, dropping from 10 deaths in 2023 to 5 in 2024. Similarly, the agricultural sector experienced a 40% decrease, with fatalities falling from 20 in 2023 to 12 in 2024. Despite these improvements, agriculture, forestry, and fishing still accounted for the highest number of fatal incidents, with 12 fatalities in 2024.
Key findings from the HSA report indicate that self-employed workers accounted for 18 of the 33 deaths. Vehicle-related incidents, accidents involving heavy or falling objects, and falls from heights were the primary contributors to these fatalities. Consistent with GB trends, individuals aged 55 and older represented two-thirds of all fatalities in Ireland in 2024.
Non-Fatal Incidents in Ireland
While fatalities saw a positive trend, non-fatal workplace incidents reported to the HSA increased by 3% in 2024 to 10,441, and are 14% higher than the five-year average. The Human Health and Social Work Activities sector recorded the highest number of non-fatal incidents among workers, accounting for 24% of all worker-related incidents. Manual handling was identified as the most common trigger for non-fatal incidents.
Lost working time due to injuries and illnesses remains substantial, with 688,000 days lost due to injuries and 1,330,000 days due to illnesses in 2023. These figures underscore the ongoing need for robust safety measures and effective training across all sectors to mitigate risks and protect workers' health and well-being.
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