Every year, the HSE releases workplace health and safety statistics for Great Britain. This report includes numbers pertaining to work-related ill health, fatalities and non-fatal injuries in addition to industry-specific findings for specific sectors.

Within the construction industry, the 2020–21 edition of the report demonstrated that employee safety—specifically as it pertains to workplace injuries—remains a critical priority and focus for employers. The construction sector reported the second-highest rate of workplace injuries behind agriculture, forestry and fishing.

There were 39 fatal injuries to workers in the construction industry in 2020-21. This amounts to a 1.62 per 100,000 employees fatality rate. The average across all industries was 0.42. Leading causes of fatalities over the last five years include:

1. Fall from height (50 per cent)
2. Trapped by something collapsing or overturning (13 per cent)
3. Struck by moving or falling object (11 per cent)
4. Struck by moving vehicle (10 per cent)

Furthermore, the HSE’s report found that approximately 2.9 per cent of all workers in the construction sector had suffered from an injury compared with only 1.7 per cent across all industries.

Meanwhile, although construction employees were at a higher statistical risk of fatalities and injuries, only 3.4 per cent of workers suffer from ill health compared with 3.7 per cent across all sectors. Of the approximately 74,000 cases of work-related ill health in the industry, more than half (54 per cent) are musculoskeletal disorders.

More about Construction Insurance can be found here.

Understanding the most prevalent risks and other industry trends is essential for keeping employees safe. For more information on workplace safety in the construction sector, contact us today.