Being struck by a moving vehicle continues to be one of the three most common causes of death among workers, according to latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Nearly a fifth (18%) of the total number of deaths in 2020/21 were due to being hit by vehicles, with 25 fatalities recorded.

The HSE said 77% of all fatal injuries were accounted for by just five different accident kinds in the five years to 2020/21 and that falls from height; being struck by a moving vehicle and being struck by a moving object account for over half of all fatalities since at least 2001.

Taking account of differing employment levels between sectors, the rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers was greatest in agriculture, forestry and fishing and waste and recycling.

In transport and storage, there were 10 deaths compared with 13 in the previous period.

The figures also highlight the risk to older workers, with around 30% of fatal injuries involving workers aged 60 or over, despite them making up only 11% of the country's workforce.

The HSE said fatalities for many of the main industry sectors were higher than compared with the annual average over the last five years; however, the numbers are prone to year-on-year fluctuations and the figures for 2019/20 were particularly low compared to recent years.

Sarah Albon, HSE chief executive, said: “Whilst the working world in which we now live has created new health challenges for workers and for those who have a duty towards them, safety must also remain a priority.

“Whilst the picture has improved considerably over the longer term and Great Britain is one of the safest places to work in the world, every loss of life is a tragedy, we are committed to ensuring that workplaces are as safe as they can be and that employers are held to account and take their obligations seriously.”

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