Every year, the Health and Safety Executive releases its annual fatal injury report. And every year, the same cause tops the list: falls from height.
Not vehicles. Not machinery. Falls from height. The single cause of workplace death that can most directly be prevented with proper training, planning, and the right equipment.
In fact, falls from height have been the leading cause of workplace fatalities in Great Britain almost every year since 2001. That’s not a coincidence. And it’s not acceptable.
In this article, we break down the latest HSE data published in July 2025, covering the 2024/25 reporting period, to give health and safety professionals, site managers, and employers a clear, data-driven picture of:
Understanding the data is the first step toward preventing the next fall.
In 2024/25, 124 workers lost their lives in work-related accidents across Great Britain, 14 fewer than the previous year. At first glance, that looks like progress. In some ways, it is. But the numbers tell a deeper story.
Those 124 deaths reveal some stark realities about workplace safety:
Once again, falls from height dominate the statistics. In fact, more workers died from falls from height than from being struck by a moving object and being hit by a moving vehicle combined.
Together, these three causes account for around 60% of all workplace fatalities in Britain, year after year.
For anyone involved in the construction sector, these statistics are impossible to ignore.
In 2024/25, construction accounted for 28% of all workplace fatalities in Great Britain, which is the highest proportion of any industry. With 35 construction workers killed, the sector’s fatal injury rate is around five times higher than the all-industry average.
The long-term trend is just as concerning.
Between 2020/21 and 2024/25, falls from height caused more than half of all construction fatalities, with an average of 21 workers losing their lives to falls each year. No other accident type comes close to matching that figure within the sector.
For anyone responsible for running or managing a construction site, one statistic should stand out: construction workers are five times more likely to be killed on the job than the national average. That’s a number every site manager should have front and centre.
Self-employed workers make up around 15% of the workforce, yet account for roughly 40% of all workplace fatalities.
Their fatal injury rate is about three times higher than that of employees. Even when factoring in their greater presence in high-risk sectors like construction, the gap remains significant.
In construction alone, nearly 45% of fatal injuries over a five-year period involved self-employed workers, which is above the all-industry average.
The reasons are clear. Self-employed workers are less likely to receive formal safety training, less likely to be closely supervised, and more likely to make cost-driven decisions about PPE and equipment. They also tend to work alone more often, reducing the chances of a rapid response if something goes wrong.
Here is a summary of the confirmed 2024/25 figures sourced directly from the HSE’s annual fatal injuries report:
124 deaths are 124 too many. Each one is a worker who left for a job and didn’t return home.
In most cases, the fall that caused their death was preventable, not with hindsight, but beforehand. The necessary planning, equipment, and training are well understood and clearly set out in law. They simply weren’t in place.
Working at height will never be risk-free. But the difference is clear: competent, well-trained workers, using the right equipment and following a proper plan with an effective rescue procedure, are significantly safer.
This data consistently points to the same issues: gaps in training, supervision, and equipment. And it has been telling us this for the past twenty years.
If the statistics above have made you question whether your team is truly prepared for work at height, Leading Edge Safety can help you take decisive action. Our accredited courses are specifically designed for the roles and individuals where the risk is highest, because preventing accidents starts with competence.
From a half-day Basic Awareness course for operatives new to height work, to Level 1 Operatives and Level 2 Managers programmes that meet the legal requirements of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, we cover every level of need. For teams facing even greater challenges, we offer specialist training in Ladder Safety, PPE Inspection, and Height Rescue, equipping them to go further and stay safer.
When you enrol in a Leading Edge course, you gain far more than theoretical knowledge. You’ll have the opportunity to work hands-on with essential height safety equipment while developing practical techniques designed to keep you safe when working at height, all delivered in a controlled, ground-level training environment. In addition, you’ll learn from experienced industry professionals how to correctly select, fit, and use your personal protective equipment, ensuring you work safely, confidently, and in full compliance with best practice standards.
Don’t wait for an accident to highlight where the gaps are. Explore our full range of working-at-height courses today to ensure your team has the knowledge, skills, and confidence to stay safe.
Leading Edge is a UK based height safety training provider and PPE manufacturer. From small teams to multinational blue-chips, we empower people to work safely at height across a wide range of industries. Copyright 2025 Leading Edge Safety. Devloped by Czargroup Technologies
