News

Accidental deaths in UK reach all-time high: RoSPA

By on

People in the UK are “substantially” more likely to have a serious accident today than they were 20 years ago and accidental deaths have reached an all-time high, according to a new report from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).


Preventable accidents cost the UK £12 billion every year in lost working days and medical expenses, said RoSPA in its Safer Lives, Stronger Nation report.

People are much more likely to die from an accident at home than in the workplace, says RoSPA's report. Photograph: iStock/Double-Vision

A total of 7.7 million working days were lost in 2022/23 by people who had suffered an accident and were unable to work, or who had to take time off to care for somebody else who had suffered an accident. This is costing UK businesses about £5.9 billion annually.

People are far more likely to die from an accident at home than in the workplace, according to the report. In 2019, 7,751 people died after an accident at home, accounting for 55 per cent of all accidental deaths in England, compared with 149 deaths caused by accidents at work.

The total rate of accidental deaths in the UK has increased by 42 per cent in the last decade, RoSPA’s figures show. Accidents are responsible for 20,000 deaths a year – almost half of which are the result of falls. Poisonings were the second biggest cause of accidental death in 2022, accounting for 26 per cent of deaths after seeing a 96 per cent increase over the last decade. Deaths caused by road traffic accidents have fallen 17 per cent in the past 10 years and accounted for seven per cent of accidental deaths in 2022.  

RoSPA is calling on the Government to implement a National Accident Prevention Strategy to bring down the number of deaths and serious injuries from accidents, no matter where they occur.

“By implementing a National Accident Prevention Strategy to sit across government departments problems can be tackled at their core, with a joined-up approach to cover all types of accidents – whether they happen at home, on the road, at work or in public,” said RoSPA chief executive Becky Hickman.

“For too long we have accepted the economic and social consequences of accidents, and we’re still paying the price.”

NEWS


Smiley Faces Istock 1070828464

Workers report having to engage in ‘emotional labour’ to remain positive, finds study on emerging technologies

By Belinda Liversedge on 29 August 2025

Emerging technologies have the potential to fundamentally reshape the world of work. These technologies can enhance productivity and, in many sectors, improve occupational safety and health (OSH) outcomes for workers. However, they may also introduce new risks that are difficult to anticipate and manage.



First Aid Istock MED Peopleimages

Lack of first aid skills leave a third of workers feeling powerless, finds St John Ambulance study

By Belinda Liversedge on 29 August 2025

Four in five employees genuinely care for colleagues, but couldn’t help them in an emergency such if they had a cardiac arrest or were severely bleeding, new research from St John Ambulance has found.



Surveillance Of Workers Istock 2212934429 OLEKSANDR KOZACHOK

HSE defends use of AI for protecting workers at AGM

By Belinda Liversedge on 12 August 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on work practices was a significant feature of HSE’s AGM in which the regulator presented on its work and priorities.