September 2025

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Health and safety team report on new statistics and injuries at work

With over 4,800 employees working across diverse environments - from schools and care homes to waste services and property maintenance - we face a wide range of workplace hazards.

Since January 2025, nearly 300 staff have been injured while delivering services. Most injuries were minor, but some required hospital treatment or time off work. These incidents occurred in places like:

  • schools and community centres
  • resource hubs and care settings
  • waste and property maintenance sites

Many of these accidents were foreseeable and preventable with the right planning, training and equipment.

National work-related deaths: figures published

According to the latest reports published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 124 workers were killed in work-related accidents in Great Britain in the year 2024/25, and over 2,200 people died from mesothelioma in 2023, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.

The HSE also recorded that 92 members of the public were killed in work-related incidents from April 2024 to March 2025. In Scotland, 26 workplace deaths were recorded, an increase of eight from the previous year.

Although fatalities are rare, serious workplace injuries are more common and can lead to lifechanging circumstances for those injured and their families, and fines or prosecutions for those deemed responsible.

In many cases serious injuries and fatalities are preventable and are the result of work not being suitably risk assessed or a lack of control measures in place.

What you can do

Every one of us plays a role in keeping our workplaces safe. Here’s how:

  • complete risk assessments before starting tasks
  • ensure there is proper supervision, instruction, and training
  • wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • speak up if something doesn’t feel safe

These safeguards protect not just you but your colleagues, the public and your loved ones.

Health and Safety Advisor Judith Wood commented: "Everyone has a role to play in reducing accidents. If you aren’t sure of how to do something safely or have other concerns, talk initially to your line manager.”

For general health and safety enquiries contact the Health and Safety team on healthandsafety@eastlothian.gov.uk

Further information

HSE Work-related fatal injuries statistics 2025

HSE Asbestos-related disease statistics 2025

Below are some of examples of accidents in work environments similar to ours, which have resulted in severe consequences:

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