The UK’s Most Dangerous Jobs

With accident rates still high despite risk assessments and regulations, the UK sees thousands of workplace injuries every year. What jobs are most likely to kill you? Let’s find out…

There are some seriously dangerous jobs out there. We devised our list of dangerous jobs using statistics within the UK, going by the fatality and injury rate recorded by the Health and Safety Executive. If your job is equally dangerous but is not on our list, it probably means that there are so few people doing your job that it doesn’t qualify.

Let’s get down to it and see what you ought to do if you were injured at work and what the 5 most dangerous UK jobs – statistically speaking – are.

What to do if you are Injured at Work?

If you suffer an injury at work then you must report it using the available channels. Each job site has a different method of reporting accidents but each has a system in place. Go through these channels and ensure your injury gets reported.

Afterwards, you should speak with a personal injury solicitor to discuss any potential claim for compensation you might make. The UK alone loses around 3% of its annual productivity due to injuries in the workplace and the associated loss of income. Hiring a solicitor could protect your financial interests.

The 5 Most Dangerous Jobs in the UK

Statistically speaking, the most dangerous jobs in the UK are as follows.

5 – Refuse Collection Assistant

Bin collectors suffer severe accidents annually due to their frequent daily use of heavy machinery. This job mixes trash compacting lorries with moving vehicles – two of the biggest hits in dangerous tasks at work according to the Health and safety Executive. The waste collection sector is responsible for approximately 1,616 non-fatal injuries every year.

4 – Roofer

There is a far higher chance that you will become injured after a fall from height if you work at height. For example, if you work in roof installation or repair, or if you are a window cleaner who still uses a ladder. Falling from height can result in lengthy recovery times, multiple injuries, and employers becoming embroiled in legal battles.

3 – Forester or Fisher

Fishing and forestry shares statistical data with agriculture workers. If you hunt, fish, or farm, you are about 21% more likely to suffer an accident at work than compared to the national average. At sea the dangers are rife and hourly. All three jobs involve heavy equipment, dangerous machines, moving vehicles, and encounters with animals.

2 – Farmer

27 farmers died in Great Britain in 2024 with Northern Ireland not far behind, at 17 fatalities. Of these accidents, vehicle drivers and heavy machinery operators in the agriculture sector were runners up for the most dangerous job… animal handling. Cows can kill. Don’t you forget it.

1 – Construction Labourer

If you have any kind of trade in construction or even if you are a day labourer, you are the most likely to encounter an accident at work. This is because construction has the trifecta plus gravy. There is heavy machinery, motorised equipment, things to fall over, things to fall off of, moving vehicles, and even dangerous chemicals.  

It Never Hurts to be Prepared

If your job is dangerous, it never hurts to be prepared. Make sure you know what the accident reporting protocol for your workspace is before the worst takes place.