Construction is, and has been for decades, the sector in which falls from height are most likely to kill. The industry employs around 6% of the UK workforce yet accounts for a substantially higher proportion of annual workplace fatalities — with a fatal injury rate roughly 4.8 times the all-industry average. This guide brings together the latest verified data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and RIDDOR, covering construction fall fatalities, the activities most likely to cause them, non-fatal injuries and the legal duties that sit with everyone on site.

Key facts and figures

  • 35 construction worker fatalities were recorded in Great Britain in 2024/25.
  • Over half of all construction deaths over 2020/21–2024/25 were falls from height.
  • 4.8× — the construction fatal injury rate is around 4.8 times the all-industry average.
  • 33% of all specified non-fatal injuries in construction in 2023/24 were falls from height.
  • 4,050 non-fatal injuries to construction employees were estimated in 2023/24.
  • 2.5 million working days were estimated lost in construction in 2023/24.

Construction: the UK’s highest-risk industry for height falls

Construction has long been the sector in which falls from height are most likely to prove fatal. In 2024/25 the industry recorded 35 worker fatalities — and over the five-year period 2020/21 to 2024/25, falls from height were responsible for over half of all construction deaths, according to HSE. Despite improved equipment and a mature regulatory framework, falls from height have dominated construction fatality statistics for as long as reliable data has been collected.

The construction fatal injury rate is 4.8 times the all-industry average. The industry employs approximately 6% of the UK workforce but accounts for a far higher share of annual workplace deaths, underlining how concentrated the risk is.

Falls from height: the dominant cause

No other hazard category comes close to falls from height as a cause of construction worker deaths. The five-year HSE data (2020/21–2024/25) confirms the pattern, with falls from height accounting for roughly half of all construction fatalities — far ahead of being struck by an object or being trapped by something collapsing.

Cause of construction fatalities (GB, 2020/21–2024/25)Share
Falls from height~50%
Being struck by a moving object~11%
Being trapped by something collapsing~11%
Being struck by a moving vehicleSignificant contributor, especially on site roadways

Why construction falls are so common

Several features of construction work combine to make falls from height the industry’s defining hazard:

The nature of the work. Construction intrinsically requires workers to build structures from ground level upwards — meaning they must work at progressively greater heights as the building rises, in environments where the permanent fall-protection features of the finished building (guardrails, balustrades, floor plates) do not yet exist.

Dynamic site conditions. Unlike a factory where hazards are relatively stable, a construction site changes every day. Yesterday’s safe floor may have been penetrated for a stairwell today; yesterday’s secure edge may now be an open void. Fall-protection measures must be constantly updated to reflect the current state of the site.

Multiple contractors. Construction sites typically involve multiple employers and self-employed contractors working simultaneously, each with their own training, equipment and understanding of site safety procedures. Coordinating fall protection across a multi-employer site requires robust principal-contractor oversight — and self-employed workers accounted for nearly 45% of fatal injuries in construction over the five-year period.

Time pressure. Construction is a time-pressured industry where delays carry direct financial consequences. Time pressure is a well-documented risk factor for safety shortcuts — and fall-protection measures are among the most commonly compromised when shortcuts are made.

Non-fatal construction falls

Non-fatal falls from height in construction cause thousands of serious injuries every year. Across all industries, 4,684 non-fatal falls from height were reported under RIDDOR in 2024/25, with construction accounting for the largest single-industry share. In construction, falls from height made up 33% of all specified injuries (such as fractures and amputations) in 2023/24, while slips, trips and falls on the same level accounted for a further 30%.

The HSE estimated 4,050 non-fatal injuries to construction employees in 2023/24. These injuries include spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, multiple fractures and harm that results in permanent disability — and the Access Industry Forum notes that many victims of non-fatal construction falls never return to their previous occupation. More broadly, around 78,000 construction workers suffered from work-related illness in 2023/24, and an estimated 2.5 million working days were lost.

Some groups are disproportionately represented in the figures: 95% of construction fatalities are male workers, and workers aged 60 and over feature more heavily than their share of the workforce would suggest.

Construction sites: the high-risk activities

Certain construction activities carry a markedly higher risk of a fall from height. The HSE consistently links the following tasks to fall fatalities and serious injuries:

  • Roof work
  • Scaffolding erection and dismantling
  • Steel erection and structural work
  • Formwork and falsework
  • Demolition
  • Flat roof construction

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply fully to all construction activities. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) add specific duties across the project team:

  • Designers must consider the constructability of their designs from a height-safety perspective — eliminating or reducing height risks through design choices wherever reasonably practicable.
  • Principal Designers must plan, manage and coordinate health and safety throughout the pre-construction phase, including height risk.
  • Principal Contractors must prepare and maintain a Construction Phase Plan that addresses height safety, and ensure all contractors understand and comply with site fall-protection arrangements.
  • Contractors must plan, manage and monitor their workers’ activities with respect to falls from height, and comply with the Construction Phase Plan.

For everyone working at height, competence is a legal requirement — which is where accredited training comes in.

Related guides

Sources & references

Make sure everyone who works at height on your site is properly trained.

Train your team to work safely at height →
Mark McShane
Mark McShane
Working at Height & Health & Safety Training Specialist, Online CPD Academy

Mark writes about working at height, workplace safety, compliance and accredited training for Working at Heights Course, part of Online CPD Academy.