Employers in the UK have a legal responsibility to keep workers safe by meeting the standards required by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), carrying out regular risk assessments and addressing any specific hazards. The technology sector is generally viewed as being relatively safe compared to industries such as construction or forestry, but nevertheless there are risks. In fact, some of the most common workplace injuries in the UK can happen in any working environment. While these injuries are not the most severe, they may still entitle workers to compensation in some cases.
If the necessary standards are not met and workers are injured in an accident as a result, these employees may be able to make an accident at work claim, which can lead to high legal costs and increased insurance premiums for their employer. Other concerns include lost productivity, the need to pay statutory sick pay and reputational damage.
It may help employers to review the most common types of workplace injuries and their causes, which can enable them to address these hazards and minimise the chances of accidents and injuries. Here, the personal injury team at Switalskis outlines some of the most common accidents for which workers can make compensation claims.
What are the most common accidents at work?
While accidents can happen in any role, statistics from HSE show that some incidents are far more common than others. While fatal accidents are much more common in specialised industries, the most common non-fatal incidents may occur in any workplace, and can lead to serious injuries in some cases.
- Slips, trips, and falls are consistently the number one cause of workplace injuries, accounting for 30% of all reported incidents in 2024/25. They often happen because of preventable hazards like wet floors, cluttered walkways or uneven surfaces.
- Manual handling injuries make up about 17% of accidents. Without proper training and risk assessments, these tasks can lead to serious back and shoulder injuries or muscle strains. An employer may be liable for this type of injury if they have not provided suitable training or safety equipment where necessary.
- Being struck by a moving object or vehicle was responsible for 10% of injuries during 2024/25. This can include items falling from shelves, or collisions with forklift trucks or other vehicles.
- Falls from height accounted for 8% of non-fatal injuries, and 28% of fatal injuries in the most recent statistics. This includes falls from ladders, scaffolding or unprotected edges. Related injuries are those caused by falling items, tools or equipment. These accidents are most common on construction sites, in warehouses and in other environments where work takes place at height.
There are several factors that can make these types of accidents more likely, and leave employers liable to pay compensation for failing to uphold their responsibilities.
Most workplace accidents are avoidable, and happen because an employer is negligent in their duty of care to protect their staff. Common examples of this negligence include:
- Providing staff with inadequate training, incorrect training or no training for their role, especially for manual handling or operating machinery, which can lead to liability for any injuries they sustain.
- Poorly maintained equipment, whether this is faulty or old equipment that hasn’t been regularly inspected or repaired.
- Failing to provide essential safety equipment like hard hats, safety goggles or high-visibility jackets where these are necessary.
- Failing to address hazards like spills, clutter or poor lighting, or to have safety procedures in place where spills are a specific hazard, increases the risk of slips, trips and falls.
- Failure to follow safety rules by not having proper safety procedures in place or failing to enforce the ones that exist.
Any of the above types of negligence can mean that an employer is liable for accidents and injuries. To make a claim, an employee must show that they have a specific injury caused by their accident. There are a range of common workplace injuries that, though they may seem relatively minor, can lead to a claim and have other serious consequences for the employer in question.
Common types of workplace injuries
Accidents in UK workplaces can lead to a wide range of injuries, from minor issues to life-changing conditions. At Switalskis, we help people claim for the full impact of their injuries, which can include:
- Back and neck injuries: often resulting from heavy lifting or falls, back injuries can cause long-term pain and may prevent workers from returning to their previous role.
- Head and brain injuries: a fall from height or being struck by a falling object can lead to serious head injuries with long-lasting effects.
- Fractures and broken bones: slips, trips and machinery accidents are common causes of fractures to ankles, wrists and other limbs.
- Musculoskeletal injuries: this includes conditions like repetitive strain injury from desk work or strains and sprains from manual labour.
- Burns and scalds: people working in kitchens or with chemicals can suffer painful burns if safety measures aren’t in place.
- Cuts and lacerations: these are common in manufacturing and construction, often caused by unsafe machinery or tools.
An injury doesn’t just cause physical pain. It can also have a significant psychological impact, and this can lead to a significant compensation payout in some cases. By implementing suitable health and safety procedures, and taking account of the specific hazards in their workplace, employers can minimise the risk of injury and the consequences that follow.
