New Statistics Show Rise In Workplace Deaths

More workers were killed in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK with new figures showing an “alarming” rise in deaths since last year.

New Health & Safety Executive (HSE) data for 2024/25 reveals 26 people died in Scotland due to workplace accidents – an increase on the 18 deaths reported last year.

Research also shows Scotland’s rate of fatal injury has increased from 0.65 to 0.93 meaning there is nearly one death for every 100,000 Scottish workers.

Construction, agriculture, forestry and transport industries saw the most tragedies due falls from height, being struck by moving objects or collapsing equipment.

The UK-wide data showed men accounted for 95% of all fatalities while 40% of all incidents involved people over the age of 60.

Campaigners said the latest figures cause concern and called for tougher punishment on employers who fail to keep workers safe.

David Bell, Senior Associate at law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: “To see the fatal workplace rate increase so sharply over seven months is truly alarming.

“The HSE data is really useful and contributes to making various sectors safer but ultimately it falls to employers as all too often fatal workplace accidents are the result of negligence when corners have been cut on PPE, safe working processes or completing risk assessments.

“I urge officials to review what could be done to guarantee safety compliance at the beginning of tasks rather than review safety procedures in hindsight – I believe tougher penalties on those who fail to follow basic life-saving guidance would also be beneficial.

“Because the real tragedy is these 26 Scottish incidents represent 26 families, each now without a loved one and facing a painful and uncertain future.

“No one deserves to go to work feeling that they or their loved one may not return home.”

The research paper titled “Work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain” was published at the start of July 2025.

It revealed via the HSE’s RIDDOR reporting system – ‘Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations’ - that 124 workers died in work-related accidents during 2024/25.

Scotland saw 26 deaths, while there were 21 in the north east of England, 14 fatalities in the south east of England and 10 recorded deaths in Wales.

In November last year an earlier RIDDOR report revealed that in 2023/24 there were 138 UK deaths with 18 in Scotland – this report confirmed a rate of 0.65.

HSE bosses suggested the reason Scotland saw more deaths was due to a “mix of industries and occupations and in England there are a greater proportion of people working in lower risk jobs than in Scotland and Wales”. 

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