Most unsafe industries ranked
|
Industry |
Total fatalities |
Total injuries |
Major/ Specified injuries |
Over 7-day injuries |
Health and Safety breaches (£) |
Safety Score (/100) |
|
Service industries |
214 |
220,084 |
58,924 |
161,160 |
21,340,682 |
100 |
|
Manufacturing |
95 |
54,051 |
13,106 |
40,945 |
30,110,312 |
49.85 |
|
Construction |
189 |
20,576 |
7,638 |
12,938 |
23,332,517 |
32.38 |
|
Agriculture, forestry and fishing |
131 |
3,754 |
1,613 |
2,141 |
2,410,318 |
20 |
|
Gas, electricity and water supply |
33 |
10,985 |
3,010 |
7,975 |
4,437,105 |
7.62 |
|
Mining and Quarrying |
4 |
532 |
187 |
328 |
2,541,029 |
1.98 |
This data is from the years 2018 to 2023.
The service industries sector ranks as the most unsafe, scoring 100 across all injury categories. Manufacturingfollows with a significantly lower safety score of 49.85, experiencing high fatal injuries and the highest FFI. Constructionis ranked as the third most unsafe industry with a safety score of 32.38, due to moderate fatal injuries and FFI invoices. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing have a slightly lower risk level, with a safety score of 20, though it still has a relatively high fatal injury rate. Gas, electricity, and water supply, as well as mining and quarrying, are the safest industries, with safety scores of 7.62 and 1.98, respectively, having minimal injury scores across all categories.
Fatalities across all industries have fluctuated, peaking at 149 in 2018/19 and dropping to 113 in 2019/20. The construction industry has seen significant variation, with fatalities ranging from 29 in 2021/22 to an estimated 47 in 2022/23, making it one of the most dangerous sectors. The service industries consistently record a high number of fatalities, with 53 in 2018/19 and 42 in 2022/23.
The total number of non-fatal injuries across all industries declined from 69,306 in 2018/19 to a low of 51,229 in 2020/21, before rising again to around 61,406 in 2022/23.
The service industries consistently reported the highest number of injuries, peaking at nearly 49,000 in 2018/19 and stabilising at around 43,839 in 2022/23.
There is a consistent drop across all industries from 2019/2020 to 2020/21, which would correlate with the coronavirus pandemic, due to fewer people being at work in most of the industries.
Cost of health and safety breaches
|
Industry |
2018/19 (£) |
2019/20 (£) |
2020/21 (£) |
2021/22 (£) |
2022/23 (est) (£) |
Total (£) |
|
All industries |
18,318,206 |
17,497,919 |
12,972,485 |
16,210,893 |
18,786,331 |
83,785,834 |
|
Agriculture, forestry and fishing |
321,759 |
535,798 |
365,262 |
595,024 |
592,475 |
2,410,318 |
|
Manufacturing |
7,983,163 |
6,115,765 |
3,872,145 |
5,014,178 |
7,125,061 |
30,110,312 |
|
Construction |
4,579,653 |
5,193,042 |
4,010,459 |
4,513,970 |
5,025,392 |
23,322,516 |
|
Service industries |
4,043,127 |
4,824,554 |
3,554,215 |
4,492,932 |
4,425,855 |
21,340,683 |
|
Mining and Quarrying |
450,090 |
408,497 |
432,005 |
538,927 |
711,509 |
2,541,028 |
|
Gas, electricity and water supply |
913,846 |
855,690 |
718,617 |
1,050,375 |
898,576 |
4,437,104 |
Across all industries, the total FFI invoices amounted to £83.79 million, with the highest costs seen in manufacturing (£30.11 million) and construction (£23.32 million). The service industries followed with £21.34 million. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing had relatively lower costs, totalling £2.41 million, while mining and quarrying accounted for £2.54 million. The gas, electricity, and water supply sector had £4.44 million in total costs.
Similar to the drop in industries with the most injuries, the research shows that from 2019/2020 to 2020/2021 there was a drop in the total cost of health and safety breaches due to many businesses shutting during the pandemic and government protocols their weren’t as many breaches happening or being investigated.
Enforcement notices
|
Notice Type |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Grand Total |
|
Grand Total |
7,049 |
2,998 |
7,119 |
8,206 |
7,399 |
3,404 |
36,175 |
A total of 36,175 enforcement notices were issued between 2019 and 2024. The highest number of notices was issued in 2022/23 (8,206), while the lowest was in 2020/21 (2,998). The numbers have fluctuated over the years, with a general increase after the drop in 2020/21, which correlated with the pandemic. Since then, the fluctuation hasn’t been as significant, but as we come to the close of this financial year, the total number of enforcement notices is only at 3,404 which may indicate a drop this year.
Total cost of fines
|
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Grand Total |
|
£37,057,040 |
£28,138,464 |
£40,475,572 |
£46,877,637 |
£45,783,183 |
£34,069,663 |
£232,401,562 |
The second table details the total cost of fines by hearing year, amounting to £232.4 million over the six years. The highest total fine amount was in 2022/23 (£46.88 million), while the lowest was in 2020/21 in line with Covid (£28.14 million). The figures indicate a significant rise in fine costs post 2020, peaking in 2022/23, before slightly declining in the following years; with around a month left of this year, we may see a decrease in fines compared to previous years.
Tom Richmond a risk management consultant at Safety Group, has offered his top tips on keeping your employees safe at work: “Creating a safe workplace isn’t just about compliance, it’s about fostering a culture where safety is a priority for everyone. Businesses can significantly reduce risks by implementing clear safety protocols, ensuring proper staff training, and regularly reviewing hazard assessments. Simple steps like establishing clear emergency procedures, investing in the right personal protective equipment (PPE), and fostering open communication about safety concerns can make all the difference. A proactive approach to workplace safety not only protects employees but also helps businesses avoid costly fines and disruptions.”
