16 Sep 2025

Falls From Height Statistics UK: What the Latest Figures Tell Us

Last updated: September 2026

When it comes to falls from height statistics in the UK, as of 2025/26, they are still recognised as the leading cause of fatal workplace injuries with 31 workers dying as a result across that reporting period. Falls are not just limited to construction sites and workplaces of that nature, even everyday jobs at home like cleaning gutters have the potential for disaster.

Understanding the latest UK falls from height statistics can help to put the risks into context and reinforce the importance of safe working practices when planning and carrying out applicable tasks.

Latest UK Falls From Height Statistics

The latest fatality statistics from the Health and Safety Executive record 126 worker deaths from work-related accidents in Great Britain during 2025 and 2026*. These included:

31 workers died following a fall from height
Falls from height accounted for around one-quarter of all worker fatalities
Falls from height remained the most common type of fatal workplace accident
Construction as an industry recorded 25 worker fatalities of any cause

* The 2025/26 figures are provisional and are due to be finalised in July 2027

The most recent non-fatal figures currently available cover 2024/25. During that period, 680,000 workers self-reported a workplace injury through the Labour Force Survey. Employers reported a further 59,219 qualifying non-fatal employee injuries under RIDDOR. Falls from height accounted for 8% of the non-fatal injuries.

How Many Fatalities Occur From Falls From Height Each Year in the UK?

In 2025/26, 31 workers died following falls from height in Great Britain. This was below the five-year annual average of 37 deaths recorded between 2021/22 and 2025/26.

Across that five-year period, falls from height caused 28% of all worker fatalities. HSE also reports that they have been the main cause of work-related fatal injury in almost every year since at least 2001/02.

Annual totals can fluctuate because fatal workplace accidents are comparatively rare. The five-year average therefore provides a more stable indication of the continuing risk.

Falls From Height at Home

There are no reliable figures for an exact number of injuries or deaths related to falling from heights or ladders at home, however, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) estimates:

11,110 people died following accidental falls in the UK during 2023
532,628 people were admitted to hospital following falls during 2023/24
That ‘falls’ accounted for 59% of accident-related hospital admissions
In England alone, 51% of recorded falls happened at home *

*Each of these figures denotes “falls” as any kind of fall, including same-level, on stairs, ladders etc

Typical household tasks that can involve working above ground level include cleaning gutters, accessing loft spaces, painting, hanging decorations and cutting tall hedges. One fall prevention method is in a reliable ladder, to stop accidents happening while standing on chairs or other makeshift platforms.

Ladder Accident Statistics in the UK

Neither the HSE or RoSPA have up-to-date data for a reliable annual total of specifically ladder-related accidents across homes and workplaces in the UK. The HSE for instance relates all accidents of this nature as part of its “falls-from-height statistics in the UK”.

What the current evidence does establish is that ladder falls remain a recognised workplace risk. HSE identifies falls from ladders and through fragile surfaces as common examples of work-at-height accidents.

Ladders are not prohibited at work. According to HSE ladder guidance, they can be appropriate for low-risk tasks of short duration when a risk assessment confirms that more protective equipment is not justified. The ladder must also be suitable, secure and in good condition.

Falls From Height in Construction

Construction continues to record more worker fatalities than any other main industry sector. HSE recorded 25 construction worker deaths from all accident types in 2025/26, compared with an annual average of 37 over the latest five-year period.

More than half of construction worker fatalities resulted from falls from height
Construction recorded an average of 19 fatal falls from height each year
The construction fatal injury rate was around five times the average across all industries

Construction work can expose people to open edges, roofs, scaffolds, ladders, access platforms and fragile surfaces. Risks may arise when equipment is unsuitable, scaffolding is incomplete, ladders are unsecured or work proceeds without adequate edge protection.

Why Do Falls From Height Happen?

A “fall from height” will often involve either one or more of these common causes:

Incorrect equipment being used rather than specially rated tools like ladders or scaffold towers
Poor ladder positioning on uneven ground, an incorrect angle or an insecure resting point can cause a ladder to move easily
Operator overreach will cause the centre of gravity to switch because of sideways leaning
Worn out feet, bent stiles, cracking and even a defective locking mechanism are all issues that could cause equipment to fail
Fragile roofs, open edges, poor weather and other hazards can become dangerous without the correct planning
One of the leading causes of any accident is with lack of competence and someone not using equipment correctly

How to Reduce the Risk of Falls From Height

The guidance on working from height is to avoid it wherever possible, however, when unavoidable official guidelines state a clear order in which the task should be handled. This order outlines a step-by-step guide, preventative measures and even equipment to both minimise the likelihood of a fall and the consequences should one arise.

Start by thoroughly planning and assessing both the task and work area to account for any nearby hazards and so as little time as possible is spent at height.

Then select the appropriate equipment based on the task and environment rather than convenience. For instance, a ladder may suit lighter, short work while other tasks may need a secured platform.

Before any work can take place, all equipment must then be inspected for wear and damage with any and all maintenance tasks being carried out immediately or removed from service entirely. Finally, the right planning and equipment is nothing without the right training or supervision.

Choosing the Right Work at Height Equipment

Ladders

Choose a ladder that provides sufficient reach without requiring the user to stand on prohibited rungs or overreach. Consider the working environment, surface condition, task duration and materials that need to be carried.

Before use, check the stiles, rungs, feet, locking devices and any stabilisers. Position the ladder on firm, level ground and secure it where required. Do not rest it against weak surfaces such as plastic gutters or glazing.

Safety Harnesses

Depending on the activity itself a safety harness is a personal fall-protection system that has different configurations for general falling, work positioning, rescue and specialist applications. The fit, adjustments and any attachment points must also be carefully considered, with users needing correct fitting, training, inspection and connection.

Fall Arrest and Restraint Equipment

Fall restraint and fall arrest are systems in similar areas but have different functions. Fall restraint restricts movement so the user cannot even reach the position from which they can fall from, whilst fall arrest equipment stops the fall after it has begun, protecting the user as best as possible.

Equipment of this nature includes anything from restraint lanyards, energy-absorbing lanyards and even retractable fall arrest blocks. The correct system depends on the available anchor point, required movement, fall clearance and rescue arrangements.

Key Takeaways

Falls from height caused 31 worker deaths in Great Britain during 2025/26
They accounted for around one-quarter of worker fatalities in the latest year and 28% over the latest five-year period
Falls from height represented 8% of employer-reported non-fatal workplace injuries in 2024/25
More than half of construction worker deaths over the latest five-year period resulted from falls from height
Current official data does not provide a reliable annual UK total for ladder accidents or scaffolder deaths
Suitable equipment, careful planning, regular inspections and competent use all play an important role in controlling risk

FAQs

How many fatalities occur as a result of a fall from height in an average year in the UK?

HSE recorded 31 worker fatalities from falls from height in the United Kingdom during 2025 and so far in 2026. The annual average from 2021 and 2022 to know has been 37 deaths a year.

What percentage of workplace deaths are caused by falls from height?

Falls from height accounted for approximately 25% of worker fatalities in Great Britain during 2025/26. Across the latest five-year period, they caused 28% of all worker deaths.

How many ladder accidents happen in the UK each year?

There is no current official figure covering all ladder accidents in UK workplaces and homes. HSE records fall from height but its headline statistics do not identify every incident involving a ladder. RoSPA’s latest national accident review also does not provide a separate ladder total.

How many scaffolders die each year in the UK?

Current HSE headline statistics do not provide a separate annual figure for scaffolder deaths. HSE recorded 25 construction worker fatalities from all accident types in 2025/26.

Over the latest five-year period, falls from height caused more than half of construction worker deaths, averaging 19 fatalities each year.

What are the most common causes of falls from height?

Common factors include unsuitable equipment, unsecured or incorrectly positioned ladders, overreaching, fragile surfaces, unprotected edges and damaged equipment. The HSE also outlines that it is often poor planning, limited supervision and a lack of training that increases risks.

What is classed as working at height?

HSE defines work at height as work in any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury if suitable precautions were not in place. This includes working above ground level, near an open edge or where someone could fall through a fragile surface or opening.

There is no fixed minimum height. The potential for a fall to cause injury is what determines whether the work falls within the definition.