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Kerem IsmailHealth and safety in the workplace matters because work still kills, injures and sickens people in Britain every year. HSE's figures show 126 workers were killed in 2025/26, and 1.9 million people had a work-related illness in 2024/25. It's also the law, and getting it wrong costs money. In 2023/24, work-related injury and ill health left Britain with a £22.9 billion bill, and 40.1 million working days were lost in 2024/25.
The people it protects
The numbers are people, so start there. These are HSE's latest figures for Great Britain.
| What HSE measured | Figure | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Workers killed in work-related accidents | 126 | 2025/26, provisional |
| Members of the public killed in work-related accidents | 104 | 2025/26, provisional |
| Workers injured at work | 680,000 | 2024/25 |
| Employee injuries reported by employers | 59,219 | 2024/25 |
| Workers with work-related ill health | 1.9 million | 2024/25 |
| Of which stress, depression or anxiety | 964,000 | 2024/25 |
| Of which musculoskeletal disorders | 511,000 | 2024/25 |
| Mesothelioma deaths from past asbestos exposure | 2,146 | 2024 |
From HSE's key figures and fatal injury statistics, accurate as of September 2026. The 2025/26 death figures are finalised in July 2027.
For every worker killed, thousands more are hurt or made ill.
The causes are ordinary. Falls from height killed 31 workers in 2025/26, and being struck by a moving vehicle killed 24. The most common injuries employers reported in 2024/25 were slips, trips and falls on the same level, at 30%, then handling, lifting or carrying, at 17%.
Construction carries more than its share. It had 25 of the 126 deaths in 2025/26, more than any other industry. The mesothelioma figure is a reminder that some harm shows up decades after the work. Those deaths come from asbestos exposure years ago.
The law behind it
Health and safety isn't a nice-to-have. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 puts the main duty on employers. You must protect your employees' health, safety and welfare so far as is reasonably practicable, and that means giving them the information, instruction, training and supervision they need.
Employees have duties too. Section 7 says they must take reasonable care of themselves and anyone affected by what they do, and co-operate with you.
You don't need an accident to break the law. Health and safety offences are about creating a risk of harm, and the fine for a business is unlimited. HSE finished 246 prosecutions in 2024/25 and won 96% of them, and the fines handed down topped £33 million. Our guide to health and safety compliance sets out what the law asks of employers.
What it costs a business
The £22.9 billion bill for 2023/24 splits three ways. According to HSE's cost estimates, individuals bore £13.4 billion, government £5.2 billion and employers £4.3 billion. Ill health made up about 72% of the total.
Lost time is the cost you notice first. Of the 40.1 million working days lost in 2024/25, 35.7 million were down to ill health rather than injury. In construction, about 2.2 million working days are lost a year.
Some costs land even without an accident. If an inspector spots a material breach and puts it in writing, HSE bills you for their time under its fee for intervention, at £188 an hour from April 2026. If you employ people, you need employers' liability insurance with at least £5 million of cover. Going without can cost £2,500 for every day you're not properly insured.
HSE and the Institute of Directors say good health and safety means lower absence and staff turnover, fewer accidents and less risk of legal action. Poor health and safety brings uninsured losses and a damaged reputation.
What a small employer should do first
HSE says that for a small, low-risk business, a few basic steps may be all the law needs. Start here:
- Get employers' liability insurance if you employ anyone.
- Assess the risks. Work out what could cause harm, how likely and how serious it is, and how you'll remove or control it.
- Write a health and safety policy. With five or more employees, it must be written down.
- Appoint a competent person to help. HSE says that can be you.
- Give every new starter an induction, covering first aid, fire and evacuation.
- Train people for the risks of their job, in working hours and at your cost.
- Put first aid in place, with a kit and someone to take charge.
- Display the health and safety law poster, or give each worker the leaflet.
- Report certain injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to HSE.
If your work is higher-risk, like most construction, you'll need more than this. For site safety, read our guide to staying safe in construction.
Health and safety protects your people first, and your business second. The first step costs little.
Step 6 is where we can help. Our online Health and Safety in the Workplace for Employees course is for people who haven't done a health and safety course before, or who need a refresher. It takes in fire safety, first aid, manual handling, COSHH and slips, trips and falls. A 25-question test at the end earns an e-certificate once you pass. Our health and safety courses cover specific risks, from manual handling to working at height.
Frequently asked questions
Why is health and safety important in the workplace?
Because it keeps people alive and well, and it's the law. In Great Britain, 126 workers were killed at work in 2025/26 and 1.9 million people had a work-related illness in 2024/25. Employers have a legal duty to protect staff, and HSE puts the 2023/24 cost of injury and ill health at £22.9 billion.
Who is responsible for health and safety in the workplace?
The employer carries the main legal duty. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers have to protect employees' health, safety and welfare so far as is reasonably practicable. Employees have duties too. They must take reasonable care of themselves and others, and co-operate with their employer. Directors can be personally liable when a company breaks the law.
How many people die at work in the UK each year?
In Great Britain, 126 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2025/26, according to HSE's provisional figures. Another 104 members of the public died in work-related accidents. Construction had the most worker deaths of any industry, at 25. Falls from height were the biggest single cause, killing 31 workers.
What are the most common workplace injuries?
Slips, trips and falls on the same level. They made up 30% of the employee injuries reported to HSE in 2024/25. Handling, lifting or carrying came next at 17%, followed by being struck by a moving object and acts of violence at 10% each. Falls from height made up 8%, but they cause the most deaths.
How much does poor health and safety cost?
HSE's estimate for 2023/24 is £22.9 billion, counting work-related injuries and new cases of ill health. Employers bore £4.3 billion of that, individuals £13.4 billion and government £5.2 billion. About 40.1 million working days were lost in 2024/25. Fines, legal costs and HSE's fee for intervention come on top.
Does health and safety law apply to small businesses?
Yes. Size doesn't change the basics. Every employer must assess its risks and protect people so far as is reasonably practicable. Some duties scale with size. You only have to write down your health and safety policy and risk assessment findings once you have five or more employees. HSE publishes simple guidance for small, low-risk businesses.
What should health and safety training for new employees cover?
HSE says new starters need induction training on how to work safely. That includes first aid arrangements, fire and evacuation procedures, and the specific risks of their job. Young workers should be a priority. Training must happen in working hours at the employer's cost, and it should be refreshed when their job or equipment changes.
Kerem Ismail is Managing Director of The Builders Academy and has been helping people secure work in the construction industry since 2016.
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