Workplace Accident Hotspots Revealed

Where are workers most at risk?

First4Lawyers has used 10 years of internal data to reveal the workplace accident hotspots of the UK, including the top injuries in each area, to highlight the towns and cities where more needs to be done regarding enforcing health and safety regulations in the workplace.

Over the last 10 years, there has been a 186% increase in the number of working days lost per year due to work-related injuries, with the average number of days off per person in 2020 totalling 20 days¹. Health and Safety Executive data has also reported that 123 workers were killed at work in 2020/21, with 1.7 million working people suffering from a work-related illness during this period².

On the map below, you can find the top 10 workplace accident hotspots in the UK, as well as the 10 hotspots per capita (10,000 people) and the top injuries by area utilising 10 years' worth of internal injury and accident claims data.

Too many being hurt

Discussing the research findings, Jacqueline Busby, head of claims at First4Lawyers, says: “Although it is positive that numbers of serious workplace accidents, including fatalities, has fallen significantly in the last few decades³, we are still seeing too many people being hurt in preventable incidents.

“It is perhaps unsurprising that big cities top the list of accident at work hotspots. However, when we look at the number of accidents per capita, there are some much smaller towns making up the top 10. This shows how employers all across the country need to be mindful of how they keep their workers safe.

“Carrying out the necessary risk assessments, providing PPE as required and ensuring workers are fully trained are essential. Not following the correct procedures could lead to legal action, so it is in an employer’s best interest to prioritise health and safety.

“We have also found that there is a wide range of injuries happening to employees – from cuts on hands to dislocated backs. Although injuries are more likely to affect individuals in certain roles, it is a reminder that no worker is completely free of risk.

“I would advise employees to focus on their own safety and that of their colleagues while at work. It is also a good idea to ensure that you know your rights. Understanding that you are legally entitled to protection from getting hurt or ill through work can help you recognise unsafe environments, as well as when you may be able to take legal action for a preventable injury.”

Top 3 workplace accident hotspots in the UK 

Birmingham 

The city of Birmingham came out on top as the workplace accident capital of the UK with 809 reported injuries over the last 10 years. This is despite a 41% decrease in accident claims over the past five years.

Once largely recognised as a city built on specialisms in engineering, the city with a population of 856,000 in 2022⁴ has now transformed and diversified into a service-based economy, specialising in health, education, financial, insurance and public administration work. Despite this development, Birmingham still thrives with workforces in transport, logistics and construction⁵.

However, with such a range in industries comes a range of health and safety measures that need to be adhered to in different roles. Across the industries in the city, the top workplace accident injuries reported in Birmingham are back (236), hand (171) and foot (112) related injuries.

Manchester 

Taking the second spot for workplace accident hotspot of the UK is the northern powerhouse city of Manchester. With over 2.7 million residents across the city⁶, First4Lawyers reported 557 workplace accidents in total with the top injuries affecting the chest (219), back (163) and hand (123).

The home of the industrial revolution, the city continues to provide roles within manufacturing but has now become a key player in the technological revolution, combining traditional production methods with exciting new technologies. Aside from its roots, Manchester has built newer industries in digital media, logistics, business and health sectors⁷.

Similarly to the workplace accident capital of Birmingham, Manchester has seen a decline in workplace injury claims over the last five years, with a 40% decrease. However, there is still more to be done to further reduce this figure.

Sheffield

The third workplace accident hotspot of the UK is Sheffield, with 469 reported injuries amongst a population of 741,000⁸. With a well-known history of developing a booming steel industry, the city has now gone on to specialise in a variety of sectors, including digital and tech, energy, health as well as manufacturing and engineering.

With roots in labour-heavy roles, the top work injuries reported in Sheffield are aligned with the top three body areas where injuries were reported - revealed as back (131), hand (89) and foot (72) related ailments. Unlike the top two hotspots, Sheffield has seen a 10% increase in workplace accidents - the only city to do so in this top 10.

Top 15 workplace injuries across the UK

Preventing workplace injuries

Sharing his expertise on how to prevent the top five workplace injuries across the UK, Nick Higginson, CEO of Phoenix Health & Safety, comments:

Injury to the hand

“An injury to the hand can occur in any workplace, but kitchens and construction sites are common high-risk locations. If you are working with sharp objects or knives in your workplace, there are courses available that can train you on the correct use of knives, which can reduce the risk of injury.

“If you work in a construction site or with machinery, your employer’s risk assessment should identify any potential danger areas and identify steps to minimise the risk.”

Hand dislocation

“Two common causes of hand dislocation are falling from height and car accidents. These can occur in a wide variety of industries including retail, transportation and even in the office.

“To ensure your staff are in the best position to avoid injuries from falling you can enrol your employees on working at height training, where they will be trained in the best practices when carrying out work at height.”

Scarred hand

“In kitchens and factories that work with corrosive chemicals or boiling oil, splashes and spills can lead to serious burns and scarring. Many workplaces are required by law to have adequate fire safety measures and chemical spill stations as well as provide PPE and training to staff.

“If your business does not have any measures in place, a risk assessment should be conducted to identify the risk of harm to employees and measures put in place to avoid potential fines.”

Back dislocation

“As of 2021, 180,000 people in the UK have suffered from back pain due to injuries in the workplace. Damage to the back or spine can leave you with temporary pain or permanent injury and can occur if an employee falls from a height or incorrectly handles heavy objects.

“Ensuring that your workplace has provided the correct equipment and training for handling heavy objects can reduce back injuries.”

Head injury

“Cuts and blows to the head can occur in any industry due to trips, falls and unsecured objects falling.

“A risk assessment will identify particular risks in the workplace, what training staff must undertake to ensure they are kept safe in the workplace, and whether PPE such as a hard hat may also be required.”

Customer story - Mr Bhuwad awarded £5,750

Mr Bhuwad got in touch with the team at First4Lawyers after he suffered a preventable accident at work.

When he started his role at his new employer, a progressive manufacturer, Mr Bhuwad notified them that they should remove an air line as it was a trip hazard. However, this was not done.

Six months after telling his employer about the hazard, Mr Bhuwad walked past the air line and tripped on it, injuring his hand. Because he had raised the issue previously, he was left feeling upset and angry when he was injured.

After getting medical treatment, he found out his hand had been broken when he fell. He had to have metal plates inserted into his hand as part of his treatment. He then had to take around three weeks off work to recover.

However, Mr Bhuwad’s hand has not yet fully recovered and he may require further surgery. He still struggles to use his right hand, making both work and daily life, including DIY, a struggle for him.

Mr Bhuwad wanted his employer to take responsibility so he contacted First4Lawyers. He had been forced to cancel a non-refundable engagement so he also hoped he could reclaim some of that cost.

He told us that he chose to get in touch based on our positive online reviews. We were able to match him to one of our specialist solicitors, who succeeded in getting Mr Bhuwad compensation of £5,750 awarded.

His solicitor also helped him reclaim some of the costs associated with his accident. He explained that it was “great to talk through some of the emotions I was dealing with”.

Speaking about his experience with First4Lawyers, Mr Bhuwad said: “My claim was handled professionally. I was very happy with the service.”

You can find more workplace accident case studies here.

Meanwhile, you can find out more about workplace accidents and make a claim here.

Top 10 workplace accident hotspots in the UK

Top 3 injury areas in top 10 workplace accident hotspots

1. Birmingham - Back (236), hand (171), foot (112)
2. Manchester - Chest (219), back (163), hand (123)
3. Sheffield - Back (131), hand (89), foot (72)
4. Nottingham - Back (111), hand (90), foot (45)
5. East London - Back (91), hand (77), foot (54)
6. Leicester - Back (106), hand (68), foot (41)
7. Doncaster - Back (102), hand (61), foot (37)
8. South East London - Back (102), hand (73), foot (46)
9. Glasgow - Hand (95), back (88), foot (46)
10. Liverpool - Back (78), foot (54), hand (51)

Top 10 workplace accident hotspots in the UK per capita

Top 3 injury areas in top 10 workplace accident hotspots per capita

1. Romford - Back (92), hand (53), foot (41)
2. Redhill - Back (35), hand (27), foot (26)
3. Llandudno - Back (52), hand (39), foot (18)
4. Truro - Foot (17), hand (14), back (13)
5. Walsall - Back (60), hand (45), foot (38)
6. Doncaster - Back (102), hand (61), foot (37)
7. Chester - Back (64), hand (62), foot (37)
8. Wakefield - Back (86), hand (47), foot (45)
9. Canterbury - Back (35), hand (25), foot (20)
10. Kilmarnock - Hand (24), back (23), foot (16)

Why choose First4Lawyers?

First4Lawyers only work with specialist No Win No Fee solicitors, who are dedicated to getting their clients justice. They work to get you the maximum compensation possible, helping you on your road to recovery.

Our claims advisors have years of experience in helping injured people access the justice and compensation they’re entitled to. If you’d like us to help you, just give us a call, request a call back at a convenient time or start your claim here.

Sources

1 Statista

2 HSE 

3 This decline has been largely attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and an increase in the number of Brits now working from home - Yahoo News

4 Macro Trends 

5 Greater Birmingham Chambers

6 Macro Trends 

7 The Manchester College 

8 Macro Trends

Methodology

To reveal ‘The Workplace Accident Hotspots in the UK’, we used 10 years (2013-2022) of internal injury/accident claims data from First4Lawyers to understand where injuries were taking place most commonly, what types of injuries were most common and the change in the number of claims each year.

For the majority of metrics within this data, keyword lookups were used to find specific keywords within injury and accident claims to understand which injuries were most common, this was also done to find the most common areas injured and also the yearly breakdown of claims in each location.

Further data was analysed to find the most common injuries in the top 10 locations by the total number of claims, and also how the number had changed over the years in these top 10 locations to show an increase/decrease.

Tools/Apps used include: Google, Google Sheets.

The total number of claims analysed in this study represents 20,161 claims across 122 UK locations with First4Lawyers receiving an average of over 115,000 enquiries a year. First4Lawyers receives workplace accident enquiries as well as enquiries regarding medical negligence, personal injury, and road traffic accidents.