The Fall Arrest Safety Equipment Training (FASET) organisation has welcomed new figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), showing a reduction in the number of workers killed following falls from height during 2025/26.
The report is available here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/assets/docs/fatalinjuries.pdf
The latest statistics reveal that 31 workers lost their lives as a result of falls from height, an 11% reduction compared with the previous year. Falls from height nevertheless remained the leading cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for one in four worker deaths across Great Britain.
While encouraged by the downward trend, FASET says the figures are a stark reminder that working at height continues to present one of the greatest risks across the construction and maintenance sectors.
Tony Seddon, Managing Director of FASET, said:
"Any reduction in workplace fatalities is welcome, and everyone involved in improving safety standards across our industry deserves recognition for their efforts. However, we cannot lose sight of the fact that 31 people still failed to return home from work because of a fall from height.
"Every one of those deaths represents a personal tragedy and, in many cases, would have been preventable through effective planning, competent supervision, appropriate fall protection systems and properly trained personnel.
"Falls from height have remained the leading cause of workplace fatalities for far too long. While the statistics show encouraging progress, they should reinforce—not reduce—our commitment to driving up standards across the industry."
FASET continues to champion best practice in the safe installation and inspection of safety netting through accredited training and independent auditing, helping contractors ensure work at height is carried out safely and competently.
The organisation is urging duty holders to use the latest HSE figures as an opportunity to review their own working-at-height procedures, ensuring suitable control measures are in place before work begins.
Tony Seddon added:
"The best safety record is never one you inherit; it's one you maintain every single day. Statistics only improve when organisations continue investing in competence, planning and a culture where safety is everyone's responsibility."
For more information about FASET and its training programmes, visit www.faset.org.uk.
