Workplace fatalities reach historic lows – but an ageing workforce presents new challenges for insurers

The latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics paint a largely positive picture for workplace safety in Great Britain. 126 workers were killed in work-related incidents during 2025/26, one of the lowest figures ever recorded and a dramatic improvement from 217 fatalities twenty years ago and 495 deaths in 1981. The HSE's new international analysis also suggests that Great Britain remains one of the safest places in the world to work.

For insurers, however, the headline decline in fatalities should not obscure several emerging risk trends. The data highlights persistent exposure in high-risk sectors, continued challenges around working at height and, perhaps most significantly, the growing impact of an ageing workforce.

Long-term improvements continue

The reduction in workplace deaths reflects decades of investment in health and safety regulation, risk management, training, technological innovation and claims experience. Excluding the pandemic-affected years, the 2025/26 figure is provisionally the lowest annual total ever recorded.

This is encouraging news for employers' liability insurers and reinsurers, as lower fatality rates generally indicate improved risk controls. The broader international comparison with 35 other countries on the level and trend of workplace fatal injuries also reinforces Britain's reputation as a relatively mature and well-regulated risk environment.

Construction and agriculture remain key risk sectors

The latest figures show that construction and agriculture continue to dominate workplace fatality statistics. Construction recorded 25 worker deaths and agriculture; forestry and fishing recorded 22 deaths. Agriculture also retained the highest fatal injury rate at 8.09 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared with an all-industry average of just 0.37.

Falls from height remain the leading cause

Despite advances in safety technology and regulation, falls from height remain the largest single cause of worker fatalities, accounting for 31 deaths in 2025/26 - approximately one quarter of all workplace fatalities.

For insurers, this continuing trend suggests that traditional risks remain as important as emerging ones. While much industry discussion focuses on artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and cyber risk, conventional workplace hazards continue to generate the most serious losses. Claims involving falls from height often result in fatalities or life-changing injuries, producing significant employers' liability exposure and, in some cases, regulatory investigations and corporate manslaughter considerations.

The ageing workforce is a growing concern

Perhaps the most significant finding for insurers is the increasing concentration of fatalities among older workers.

Workers aged 60 and over accounted for 40 workplace deaths during 2025/26 - almost one-third of all fatalities despite representing only 12% of the workforce. This reflects wider demographic changes across the UK labour market. Financial pressures, skills shortages and increasing retirement ages are leading many individuals to remain economically active for longer.

For insurers, this trend raises several important considerations. Older workers remain working in industries such as construction, agriculture, logistics and manufacturing, where physical hazards are significant. Employers may need to demonstrate that risk assessments properly consider age-related factors including reduced mobility and balance, slower reaction times, increased vulnerability to serious injury following an accident, and a higher prevalence of underlying health conditions.

While older workers may not necessarily suffer a higher frequency of accidents, incidents can result in more severe outcomes. A fall that may cause a minor injury for a younger worker can have catastrophic consequences for an older employee. This has implications for reserves due to potentially higher rehabilitation costs, fatal accident claims and dependency claims involving workers who remain economically active beyond traditional retirement ages.

Public liability exposures remain significant

The statistics also reveal that 104 members of the public were killed in work-related incidents during 2025/26. This reinforces that workplace safety failures can extend beyond employee injuries, creating significant public liability exposures. Construction sites, transport operations, waste facilities and agricultural businesses remain particularly vulnerable to incidents affecting third parties. As social inflation and claimant expectations continue to rise, severe public liability events remain a major concern for insurers despite declining overall fatality numbers.

Looking ahead

The latest HSE figures demonstrate the substantial progress that has been made in workplace safety over recent decades. However, they also highlight that significant challenges remain. For insurers, three themes stand out:

• Continued fatalities in construction, agriculture and other high-hazard industries.

• Continued severe injury exposure from traditional risks such as falls from height.

• Growing risk implications arising from an ageing workforce.

As UK employers increasingly rely on older workers to address skills shortages and workforce gaps, insurers may need to adapt underwriting models and claims strategies to reflect changing workforce demographics. The overall safety picture may be improving, but the nature of workplace risk is evolving, and the ageing workforce is likely to become one of the most important occupational risk trends of the next decade.