The HSE reveals construction worker deaths are at a four-year high

New data shows construction worker deaths have hit a four-year high.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures show that 51 construction workers died from injuries on site in 2023/24, more than in any year since 2020/21.

The total number of accidents was more than twice that of any other industry, with 23 fatalities reported in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Deaths in construction accounted for over a third of the total number of deaths in the UK across all sectors (138).

Construction was the second most dangerous industry for the rate of fatal injuries per 100,000 workers – 2.43 fatalities per 100,000 workers, up from 2.1 in 2022/23. However, it was less than in the case of agriculture, forestry and fishing, which amounted to 7.51.

Among the construction workers who died last year was 26-year-old Michael Jones, who died in August 2023 while working on Laing O’Rourke’s project at the new Everton FC stadium. He died after him he was caught between the scissor ladder he was operating and beam.

Charlie Harper, a 71-year-old oil rig worker, also died in 2023/24 while working at the HS2 plant in Solihulloperated by Balfour Beatty Vinci JV. He died the day after he was hit by the end of an unsecured pipe.

Earlier this year, the coroner issued a safety warning following an investigation Harper, warning that failure to secure the coiled pipe contributed to his death.

In November 2023 a man died at a construction site in Ramsgate operated by Barratt David Wilson Homes.

The most common cause of work-related fatalities across all sectors was falls from height, accounting for 50 of the 138 deaths in 2023/24. This is twice the second most common cause, which is being hit by a moving vehicle.

HSE chief executive Sarah Albon said the UK was one of the safest countries in the world to work in, but “these statistics serve as a reminder that there is still room for further improvement”.

“We continue to make sure people stay safe and healthy, regardless of where they work,” she added.

Earlier this month The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has demanded that the sector make greater use of data to drive better health and safety outcomes.