Over a quarter of tradespeople have had a workplace injury that has prevented them from working for over six months

  Posted by: electime      27th November 2025

• Almost all (95 per cent) tradespeople say they’ve suffered a workplace injury during their career
• 35 people working in construction suffered a fatal injury in 2024-25 and a further 50,000 had a non-fatal workplace injury
• Falls from height are the most common reason for non-fatal injuries in construction (33 per cent of the total)

As new figures from the Health and Safety Executive¹ reveal 50,000 construction workers suffered a workplace injury in 2024-2025, research from Direct Line business insurance shows that over a quarter of tradespeople (26 per cent) have a suffered a workplace injury that left them unable to work for over six months. A further 29 per cent have had an injury that prevented them from working for between a week and a month and almost all tradespeople (95 per cent) said they’d been injured at work at some point.

The Health & Safety Executive’s data for 2024-25 shows that construction is the second most dangerous sector for workplace injuries with 2,500 injuries per 100,000 workers, compared to 3,080 per 100,000 in accommodation and food service.

According to Direct Line’s research, just over 1 in 7 tradespeople (15 per cent) said that they weren’t very aware of the health and safety rules that apply to their job, with a further 3 per cent admitting to having no awareness of the rules at all. Less than half (39 per cent) of all the tradespeople who responded to the survey said that they were fully aware of health and safety rules and make sure that they stay abreast of any changes.

Even when tradespeople are aware of the health and safety requirements, they aren’t always followed. In fact, just 39 per cent said that they were adhered to all the time, a further 42 per cent said it was most of the time and 13 per cent admitted they were followed some of the time. Shockingly, more than 5 per cent of tradies said the rules were rarely or never followed.

Falling from a height is the most common cause of injuries on construction sites. Injuries whilst lifting or carrying account for the most injuries that result in a week or more off work.

Table 1 – causes of non-fatal workplace injuries in construction 2024-2025

Source: Direct Line Business Insurance / Health & Safety Executive

Mark Summerville, SME Product Manager at Direct Line business insurance, commented: “Whilst the trend in construction injuries and fatalities is downwards, the numbers are still too high.

“Health and safety awareness in some businesses remains inadequate, resulting in preventable workplace injuries and, in some rare cases, fatalities. Neglecting to implement and adhere to health and safety regulations can lead to physical harm, avoidable business interruption and potentially significant legal repercussions.

“It is essential for businesses and their employees to ensure that they have the correct health and safety training and that they are up to date on current regulations. Equally important is fostering a culture where safe working practices are deeply embedded in the day-to-day.”