HSE Workplace Fatality Statistics 2025/26: Why First Aid Training Should Be Part of Every Health & Safety Strategy
- dpearson460
- Aug 3
- 4 min read
Every employer has a legal and moral responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees. While effective risk management significantly reduces workplace accidents, no organisation can completely eliminate risk.
The latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provisional statistics show that 126 workers lost their lives in work-related incidents across Great Britain during 2025/26, highlighting why emergency preparedness remains just as important as accident prevention.
For businesses of every size, having trained workplace first aiders can make the difference between a minor incident and a life-changing event.
What Do the Latest HSE Statistics Tell Us?
The HSE's latest figures demonstrate that although Great Britain continues to have one of the lowest workplace fatality rates in the world, serious incidents still occur every day.
The provisional statistics reveal:
126 workers died in workplace accidents during 2025/26.
104 members of the public also lost their lives in work-related incidents.
Construction recorded the highest number of worker fatalities.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing remains one of the UK's highest-risk sectors.
Falls from height continue to be the leading cause of fatal workplace accidents, accounting for around one quarter of all deaths.
Around 93% of fatalities involved men.
Workers aged 60 years and over remain disproportionately affected.
Although these figures are considerably lower than they were several decades ago, every statistic represents someone who left for work and never returned home.
Health & Safety Doesn't End With Risk Assessments
Most businesses invest significant time into:
Safe Systems of Work
PPE
Employee Training
Equipment Maintenance
These are all essential components of a successful health and safety management system.
However, even the best-managed workplaces can experience:
Cardiac arrests
Serious bleeding
Falls
Crush injuries
Burns
Choking
Medical emergencies
Machinery incidents
When these situations occur, the actions taken during the first few minutes can significantly improve outcomes.
Why Workplace First Aid Training Is Essential
Workplace first aid training is not simply another compliance exercise.
It provides employees with the confidence and practical skills to respond quickly while emergency services are on their way.
A trained first aider may be required to:
Perform CPR
Use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Control catastrophic bleeding
Treat severe burns
Assist someone who is choking
Place an unconscious casualty into the recovery position
Recognise heart attacks and strokes
Manage seizures and diabetic emergencies
Prompt first aid can help reduce the severity of injuries, improve recovery outcomes and, in some cases, save a life.
Is Workplace First Aid a Legal Requirement?
Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must provide adequate and appropriate first aid arrangements for their workforce.
The exact requirements depend on your First Aid Needs Assessment and factors including:
Number of employees
Workplace hazards
Shift patterns
Lone workers
Previous accident history
Distance from emergency medical services
For many organisations, this means ensuring that suitably trained first aiders are available whenever employees are at work.
Emergency First Aid at Work Course
Our Accredited Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course is ideal for lower-risk workplaces, offices, retail premises, hospitality, education settings and many small businesses.
Training includes:
Adult CPR
Child CPR awareness
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Choking
Severe bleeding
Shock
Burns
Heart attack
Stroke
Seizures
Unconscious casualties
Delivered at Your Workplace
✔ From £360.00 + VAT for up to 6 delegates
We deliver training at your premises, on dates and times that suit your business, helping to minimise disruption to your operations.
First Aid at Work & Defibrillator Course
For higher-risk workplaces including manufacturing, engineering, warehousing, logistics, construction and industrial environments, our Accredited First Aid at Work & Defibrillator course provides comprehensive practical training.
Delegates learn how to respond to:
Serious trauma
Major bleeding
Fractures
Head injuries
Spinal injuries
Medical emergencies
Asthma
Diabetes
Anaphylaxis
Adult CPR
Child CPR awareness
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
On-site Workplace Training
✔ From £890.00 + VAT for up to 6 delegates
Delivered around your shift patterns, weekdays, evenings or weekends where required.
Training That Works Around Your Business
At ER Training, we understand that taking staff away from the workplace isn't always practical.
That's why we provide flexible on-site delivery throughout:
Our experienced instructors deliver engaging, practical training at times that work for your organisation, whether you require one course or training for multiple teams.
Have more than six delegates?
No problem. We regularly deliver courses for larger organisations and can provide additional instructors where required. Simply contact our team for a tailored quotation.
Investing in First Aid Is Investing in Your People
The latest HSE figures serve as an important reminder that workplace safety is about more than preventing accidents—it's about ensuring your team knows how to respond if the unexpected happens.
Every minute counts during a medical emergency.
By investing in accredited workplace first aid training, you're helping to create a safer workplace, protecting your employees, supporting legal compliance and giving your team the confidence to act when it matters most.
Book Your Workplace First Aid Training
ER Training has been delivering accredited workplace first aid training since 2002 and supports organisations across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the East Midlands.
Whether you need Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work Requalification, Paediatric First Aid, or bespoke on-site workplace training, we're here to help.
Call: 01302 802016
Email: mail@ertraining.co.uk
Visit: www.ertraining.co.uk
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