The Most Common Causes of Accidents and Ill Health at Work (2024)

Annual data from Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveals the UK’s most frequent causes of accidents and injuries at work. The figures depict the nation’s most dangerous industries and further demographic trends.

Between 2020 and 2021, an estimated 441,000 UK workers sustained a non-fatal injury at the workplace, and a further 51,000 injuries were reported by employers in the same period.

The data highlights the most common causes of workplace accidents, noting slips and trips as the most common cause of non-fatal injuries. To see the full list, read our report below.

Slips, trips, or falls on the same level

Accounting for one-third of all non-fatal injuries in the workplace, slips, trips and falls are by far the most recurring type of accidents.

The data incorporates reports of injuries across all of the UK’s industries, highlighting that more needs to be done by employers to reduce the risk of these types of accidents and to prioritise physical health.

Preventative measures for slips, trips and falls include clearly signalling any hazard on the ground that could cause someone to slip over, such as a spilled substance.

Good communication between employees and management allows for the effective denoting of any hazard, and instilling a culture where employees highlight such dangers is vital.

Poor housekeeping can lead to messy workplaces with hazards posing a serious health risk. For this reason, proper cleaning procedures must be followed to prevent accidents.

Handling, lifting, or carrying

The second most common cause of injury at work is from handling, lifting, or carrying an object.

These accidents cause one in five of all workplace injuries, yet they are easily preventable through adequate training and safeguarding.

Employers should ensure that any worker who needs to move objects has received training on the correct relevant safety precautions and procedures.

Workers should also use their judgement to assess the difficulty of the handling required, and find alternatives if appropriate - such as asking for another pair of hands.

Additionally, not wearing the correct personal protective equipment or improper footwear can also be a cause of workplace accidents when lifting heavy objects.

Struck by a moving object

Being struck by a moving object is the third most frequent cause of injury at work, totalling one in ten injuries.

The data suggests that the most common industries where this type of accident occurs are manufacturing and construction.

However, all employees should take precautions whenever working in an environment where there may be object displacement.

Objects falling from a height, such as a tool ill-attached to a worker or an object not securely positioned on a higher surface, are common causes of workplace accidents. Consider the following safety tips:

• Training should be provided to teach good habits, like attaching objects to your person and securing items safely on surfaces, especially at a height.
• Wearing protective clothing and ensuring good communication whenever there is object displacement helps reduce the risk of such an accident occurring.

Acts of violence

8% of injuries at work are caused by acts of violence. Unlike the other causes of injury, the nature of these is behavioural and not accidental, therefore needing alternate strategies to reduce on behalf of the employer.

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If the nature of the incident is behavioural, the prevention needs to follow suit; staff training on workplace violence aims to instil better interpersonal relationships between employers, encouraging the signalling of any conflicting behaviour.

Adopting a zero-tolerance policy on violence is a vital step to eradicating such incidents, and protecting victims is just as important to reduce further acts from occurring.


Falls from a height

A further 8% of injuries at work are caused by falls from a height - and this accident is one of the leading causes of fatal workplace injuries in the UK.

To reduce the rate of these common accidents, comprehensive control measures should be implemented, including some of the following:

• Conduct a thorough risk assessment and seek alternatives to working from a height if possible.
• If working from a height is necessary, ensure that all equipment is functioning properly, as well as being stable and strong enough for the task.
• Protection should be provided to all those in the vicinity of the task.
• Only those who have been adequately trained and are skilled enough to work from a height for the task at hand should be considered to undertake it above those that are not

Get in touch

Despite precautions, fatal accidents and injuries at work can still occur. If you’ve been injured at work, either by accident, due to another individual or an organisation, we want to hear from you.

Depending on the cause and severity of your injuries, you may be due considerable financial compensation.

At Graham Coffey & Co Solicitors, our team of specialists in personal injury at work are here to take you through your options and help you make a successful claim.

Contact us by phone on 0161 820 5782 or by filling in our contact form.


Written by Stuart Snape who has more than 20 years' experience in the legal sector, specifically within personal injury law. During this time, he has helped thousands of individuals make successful Accident at Work claims.