New data from the Health and Safety Executive has found that there has been a 70% rise in the number of construction deaths since the pandemic
Construction deaths in 2023/24 were over twice as many as the second most affected industry, with agriculture, forestry and mining suffering 23 fatalities.
51 construction workers died following accidents during the year to March 31 2024, increasing from the 2022/23 total of 47 and the five year average of 42.
The HSE data is drawn from fatalities resulting from work-related accidents in 2023/24 that were reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations.
Falls from height accounted for 50 deaths across all industries, a slight increase from last year’s 41 fatalities.
The rise is “statistically significant”, according to HSE
Across all industries, the number of annual workplace deaths “remains broadly in line with pre-pandemic levels”, the HSE said.
The HSE said: “While the number of fatalities fluctuates year-on-year, the average number of worker deaths in construction in the latest two years is statistically significantly higher than the pre-pandemic period.”
The report found that the rate of fatal injury in construction was five times higher than the average across all industries.
The industry will be watching to see how the new government responds to the figures
Julie Riggs, director of education and membership at the British Safety Council, said the rise in work-related fatalities in the latest HSE report is a “stark reminder that we cannot become complacent about the health and safety of workers.
“Put simply, the consequences of poor health and safety are too great a price to pay.”
“Despite a decrease in the overall number of injuries, it is worrying to see that the number of fatal injuries in the [construction] sector has increased compared to the previous year,” said Martin Usher, head of serious injury at Lime Solicitors.
“With a new government imminently in place, our leaders must take urgent action to improve protections for all those in the construction sector, and ensure that workers’ safety is put first.”
This article brings up a worrying trend in the construction industry—construction deaths have jumped 70% since the pandemic, and that’s something we can’t ignore. As a lawyer, it’s clear to me that companies need to step up their safety game. Employers have a big responsibility to keep their workers safe, and that means reviewing safety protocols, investing in proper training, and making sure they’re following the law. If they don’t, not only are lives at risk, but the legal and financial fallout can be huge.