The Most Dangerous Places to Work in the UK: Revealed

Whilst all jobs come with their own risks, some are certainly more dangerous than others, but does the part of the country where people work affect their chances of being involved in an accident?

A new study by safety products specialists First Mats has revealed which local authorities in the UK have the highest rates of non-fatal accidents. This is based on data provided by the Health and Safety Executive (hse.gov.uk) which measures the rates of non-fatal accidents per 100,000 workers that occurred during a 12 month period between 2019 and 2020.

Amongst the authorities listed is North Warwickshire, which ranks as the most dangerous in the country with 898 non-fatal injuries per 100,000 workers.

“The injury rates are unlikely to have anything specifically to do with the region people work in,” said Richard O’Connor who helped with the study for First Mats. “Instead, they reveal insights into the employment profiles of each of the regions”. Most of the places in the top 10 employ more people in industries such as Manufacturing and Construction than the national average.

This report also shows an improving trend when it comes to non-fatal accidents in the workplace. For most of the local authorities listed in the top 10, accident rates are on the decline with data from as far back as 2015 analysed as part of the study. This matches the national trend, which is most likely driven by a combination of improving safety practices in the workplace and an increase in less hazardous job roles in the UK.

The complete top 10 list includes:

(Local Authority / Accidents per 100,000 employees)

North Warwickshire – 898
Sutton – 777
South Staffordshire – 613
Staffordshire Moorlands – 508
Daventry – 497
Bolsover – 487
South Holland – 475
Broadland – 468
Knowsley – 466
Blaby – 465

For the full report, visit the First Mats website: https://www.firstmats.co.uk/blogs/buying-guides/10-most-dangerous-places-to-work-in-the-uk