New research has revealed that transport and storage workers are among the worst-affected by workplace injuries, with around one in 42 workers hurt each year.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data reports 604,000 total cases of work-related injuries annually - costing businesses £7.1bn each year or around £11,700 per case on average.
The business finance experts at money.co.uk have analysed the latest HSE data on workplace injuries to identify the industries facing the most significant challenges.
Industries with the highest rates of workplace injuries:
| Rank | Industry | Injury sustained in their current/most recent job (2023-24) | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Average estimated incidence |
Average rate per 100,000 workers |
||
|
1 |
Accommodation and food service activities |
44,000 |
2,820 |
|
2 |
Construction |
47,000 |
2,390 |
|
3 |
Transportation and storage |
38,000 |
2,370 |
|
4 |
Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles |
75,000 |
2,200 |
|
5 |
Administrative and support service activities |
28,000 |
2,030 |
|
6 |
Manufacturing |
51,000 |
1,940 |
|
7 |
Human health and social work activities |
79,000 |
1,780 |
|
8 |
Education |
55,000 |
1,640 |
|
9 |
Public administration and defence, compulsory social security |
33,000 |
1,320 |
|
10 |
Professional, scientific and technical activities |
20,000 |
710 |
Transportation and storage workers suffer from an estimated 38,000 workplace injuries annually, or about 2,370 injuries per 100,000 workers (one in 42).
Many of the risks are tied to the physical demands of logistics work. Manual handling — including lifting heavy or awkward items — accounted for nearly 13% of all injuries.
These insights can be useful for identifying areas where better equipment or updated training could improve safety across the sector.
The study also revealed that the transport sector sees an average of 30,000 workplace-related illnesses per year.
There were 0.98 fatalities per 100,000 workers in the transport and storage sector between April 2024 and March 2025.
The industry also sees the third-highest rate of crime against physical premises compared to other sectors, with more than one-quarter (27.1%) affected.
Joe Phelan, money.co.uk business savings expert, said: “With the daily pressures of running a business, it’s easy to push savings down the priority list. However, this data is a stark reminder that a healthy contingency fund isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s crucial to protecting your people and your operations.
“By building a safety net, you’ll be better placed to support colleagues, while keeping the business running smoothly. Building up a contingency fund doesn’t have to be complicated.
“Even small, regular contributions to a savings account can help businesses stay resilient through staff absences, workplace incidents, or crime-related disruptions.
“These accounts allow you to earn interest on your savings and, crucially, the money is on hand the moment you need it. This can help you protect your employees and your business if your team members get injured or fall ill, or if you’re a victim of a crime.”
