---
title: Fall from height statistics 2019/20
description: The latest fatal a non-fatal injury statistics from the HSE 2019/2020 for working at height.
---

[Working at height blog ](https://www.hls.co/blog)

# [Fall from height statistics 2019/20](https://www.hls.co/blog/fatal-injuries-and-non-fatal-injuries-when-working-at-height-2019/20-in-great-britain)

 Written by [Laura Hemsley](https://www.hls.co/blog/author/laura-hemsley) | Nov 16, 2020

 

Last week the[ HSE’s](https://www.hse.gov.uk/) annual health and safety statistics were released. 

In Britain in **2019/20 111 **workers died as a result of injuries sustained from an accident in the workplace. 

###### **Fatal accident as a result of a fall from height **

Of the 111 fatalities, 29 were killed as a result of a fall from height, that’s just over 2 per month, the biggest cause of workplace deaths in the UK.

This is a slight decrease from last year where 40 workplace deaths were recorded. The rate of fatal injury has shown a downward trend but has been broadly flat in recent years.

Falls from a height accounted for 25% of all fatal injuries (an average of 34 fatal injuries per year). 

###### **The industries where the fatal injuries have taken place. **

Over half of all fall from height deaths over the last five years were in the construction sector.  

###### **Non Fatal Work at Height Injuries **

In 2019/20 693,000 working people sustain an injury at work according to the [Labour Force Survey. ](https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/lfs/index.htm)

Out of the 693,000 non-fatal injuries in the UK, 8% (55,440) are known to be falls from height. That’s 151 every day.

[Data source](https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/sources.htm): RIDDOR: Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. Figures for 2019/20 are published as provisional at this stage and will be finalised July 2021.

###### **Working Days Lost**

In 2019/202 There were 6.3 Million [working days lost](https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm) to non fatal workplace injuries. The time taken off to is 9.1 days on average for Injuries. Most falls from height injuries result in at least a broken bone and weeks off work but may have other life changing implications.

Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS) self-reported estimates

Over two thirds of all major work at height injuries are caused by low falls - two meters. 

###### **In Summary **

**These are statistics shared by the HSE, and are a reminder of the dangers of working at height and that there’s still more work to be done to prevent both fatal and non-fatal falls from height in the workplace****.**** **

**For more information, please visit the HSE website - statistics section: [https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm](https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm)**

[View full post](https://www.hls.co/blog/fatal-injuries-and-non-fatal-injuries-when-working-at-height-2019/20-in-great-britain)

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