3 years from date of accident
£1,000 – £100,000+
6 – 14 months
£0 · No Win No Fee
Every guide we publish is verified against UK statute and current case law before release.
A workplace accident can happen in any industry, from office to construction site. Your employer has a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to provide a safe working environment. If they failed in that duty and you were injured as a result, you may be entitled to compensation. The key is to act quickly: report the accident, seek medical attention, and gather evidence before anything is lost.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are injured at work across the UK. Some injuries are minor and resolve quickly. Others change a person’s ability to work, to move, or to live the way they did before. Whatever the circumstances, knowing what to do after a workplace accident matters, both for your health and for protecting your legal position.
This guide covers what the latest data tells us about workplace accidents in the UK, what your employer is legally required to do, the steps you should take after an injury, and when it may be worth speaking to a solicitor.
How common are workplace accidents in the UK?
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 680,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury at work in Great Britain in 2024/25, up from 604,000 the previous year. 124 workers were killed in work-related accidents in the same period, the lowest fatal injury rate on record.
The scale of workplace accidents in the UK is significant. Despite decades of health and safety legislation, injuries at work remain a daily reality for workers across every sector. The gap between what employers are required to do and what actually happens in practice is where most workplace accident claims arise.
Workers injured at work in 2024/25 (Labour Force Survey)
Working days lost to work-related illness and injury in 2024/25
Estimated annual cost of workplace injuries and ill health (2023/24)
There is a significant gap between the 680,000 self-reported injuries at work and the 59,219 injuries formally reported by employers under RIDDOR in 2024/25. This suggests a large number of lower-severity incidents are not being formally reported. Under-reporting is widely acknowledged by the HSE. If you were injured and no report was made, that does not prevent you from making a claim.
The difference between self-reported and employer-reported figures is not a technicality. It reflects a real pattern of under-reporting that affects injured workers’ awareness of their rights. Many people do not know they may have a valid claim after a workplace accident simply because the accident was never formally recorded.
What causes most workplace accidents?
The three most common causes of non-fatal workplace accidents reported under RIDDOR in 2024/25 were slips, trips and falls on the same level (30%), handling, lifting or carrying (17%), and being struck by a moving object (10%).
Understanding what typically causes injuries at work helps workers recognise situations that should have been prevented. Most workplace accident injuries do not happen randomly. They follow recognisable patterns that employers are legally required to assess and control.
| Cause | Share of Non-Fatal Injuries | Typical Scenarios |
|---|---|---|
| Slips, trips and falls (same level) | 30% | Wet floors, poor lighting, obstructed walkways |
| Handling, lifting or carrying | 17% | No manual handling training, excessive loads |
| Struck by moving object | 10% | Falling items, warehouse or construction settings |
| Acts of violence | 10% | Physical altercations; retail, healthcare, security roles |
| Falls from height | 8% | Ladders, scaffolding, rooftop work; most common fatal cause |
Source: HSE, Non-Fatal Injuries at Work in Great Britain, 2024/25. Falls from height account for approximately 35 worker fatalities per year, making it the single most common cause of fatal workplace accidents despite representing a smaller proportion of non-fatal incidents.
What are your legal rights after a workplace accident?
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, your employer has a legal duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, your health, safety, and welfare at work. If they fail in that duty and you are injured, you have the right to seek compensation. You cannot be dismissed or penalised for making a genuine claim.
An employer’s duty of care is the legal obligation to take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety, and welfare of everyone who works for them. This covers all workers, including part-time, agency, and zero-hours contract staff. It cannot be delegated or outsourced. If the employer knew, or should have known, about a risk and failed to act, they may be found negligent following a workplace accident.
Employers in the UK must carry out risk assessments, provide adequate training, maintain equipment, supply appropriate protective gear, and keep the working environment clean and safe. These are not optional. They are legal requirements enforced by the HSE and, where relevant, by local authorities.
Specific duties beyond the general Act include:
- Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992: require employers to reduce the risk of injury from lifting and carrying
- Work at Height Regulations 2005: cover planning and equipment for any work above ground level
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER): require all work equipment to be safe and suitable for its intended use
- RIDDOR 2013: require employers to report workplace accidents that result in death, specified injuries, or more than seven days’ absence from work
Importantly, UK employment law also protects you from being dismissed or treated unfairly for making a genuine claim. If your employer retaliates, that action may itself give rise to an unfair dismissal or constructive dismissal claim.
What to do after a workplace accident
Seek medical attention, report the accident to your employer, ensure it is recorded in the accident book, gather evidence, keep a record of costs, and seek legal advice before speaking to any insurer. The first 24 to 48 hours are the most important.
The steps you take immediately after an accident at work can significantly affect both your recovery and the strength of any future claim. Even if the injury seems minor, these actions protect your position.
1. Seek medical attention
Attend A&E or a GP as soon as possible, even if you feel the injury is not serious. Some conditions such as soft tissue damage, concussions, and spinal injuries present slowly. A medical record created close to the date of the workplace accident is important evidence if you later pursue a claim.
2. Report the accident to your employer
Inform your line manager or employer as soon as you are able. Under RIDDOR, employers are legally required to report certain incidents to the HSE. Reporting also triggers your employer’s internal investigation process and creates an official record.
3. Ensure the accident is recorded in the accident book
Any company with ten or more employees is legally required to maintain an accident book. Ask for confirmation that the entry has been made and request a copy. If one is not made, record the details yourself by email to your HR department, creating a timestamped record.
4. Gather evidence
Take photographs or video of the scene, including any hazards, defective equipment, or unsafe conditions. Collect witness details. Note the time, date, and precise location. If CCTV was present, request that footage is preserved promptly. It is routinely deleted within 30 days.
5. Keep track of all costs
Keep receipts for medical treatment, travel to appointments, prescription costs, and any other expenses linked to the injury. These form part of your special damages if you proceed with a claim and need to be evidenced.
6. Seek legal advice before speaking to insurers
Do not give statements to your employer’s insurer without legal advice. Early contact from an insurer can seem helpful, but their role is to manage their client’s liability, not to protect your interests. A solicitor will advise you on what to say and what to avoid.
| Stage | Action | Typical Timing | Who Leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Medical | Attend A&E or GP; obtain written record | Within 48 hrs | You |
| 2. Report | Inform employer; confirm accident book entry | Within 24 hrs | You |
| 3. Evidence | Photos, CCTV request, witness statements | Days 1 – 7 | Joint |
| 4. Instruct | Speak to a solicitor; sign CFA if proceeding | Days 3 – 14 | Solicitor |
| 5. Letter of Claim | Formal claim sent to employer's insurer | Days 14 – 30 | Solicitor |
Even strong workplace accident claims can be weakened by avoidable early mistakes. Solicitors see these issues regularly at the point of first instruction.
The first 48 hours after an injury at work are the most important for protecting both your health and your legal position. Evidence is at its freshest, witnesses are easiest to reach, and the details are clearest. None of this requires a decision about whether to claim. It just means preserving your options while they are still open.
Mohammed Rizwan Shabir
Common mistakes to avoid
The most damaging errors are not reporting the accident promptly, failing to seek medical attention, accepting an early settlement from the employer’s insurer, not keeping receipts for costs, and assuming you cannot claim because the accident was partly your fault.
- Not reporting promptly: delayed reporting makes it harder to establish what happened and when, and gives the employer’s insurer grounds to challenge the claim
- Skipping medical follow-up: gaps in your treatment record weaken the medical evidence your solicitor relies on to value the claim
- Accepting an early settlement: insurers frequently make early offers that do not account for long-term effects, future losses, or ongoing medical needs
- Assuming fault ends your claim: if your employer also failed in their duty of care, you may still recover compensation even where you were partly responsible
- Discarding receipts: special damages require proof of every financial loss incurred as a result of the injury
Can you make a workplace accident claim?
You may have a valid claim if your employer owed you a duty of care, that duty was breached, the breach caused your injury, and you suffered losses as a result. The standard time limit is three years from the date of the workplace accident under the Limitation Act 1980.
To succeed in a workplace accident claim, you need to show four things:
- Duty of care: your employer owed you a legal obligation to keep you safe at work
- Breach: they failed to meet that duty, for example by not providing adequate training, maintaining equipment, or carrying out risk assessments
- Causation: the breach directly caused your workplace accident and the resulting injury
- Loss: you suffered physical, psychological, or financial harm as a result
| Employment Status | Eligible to Claim? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time or part-time employee | ✓ Yes | Strongest claim position; full duty of care applies |
| Zero-hours contract worker | ✓ Yes | Same duty of care rights as permanent employees |
| Agency or temporary worker | ✓ Yes | Can claim against agency, hiring company, or both |
| Self-employed contractor | Likely | Duty of care applies to those controlling the premises |
| Partly at fault for accident | Possibly | Contributory negligence reduces, not cancels, compensation |
Compensation in such a claim is split into general damages (pain, suffering, and loss of amenity, assessed using the Judicial College Guidelines) and special damages (financial losses including lost earnings, medical costs, travel, and future care). The claim can also cover psychological harm where the accident causes anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress.
Summary
A workplace accident can have real consequences for your health, your income, and your daily life. UK law places clear responsibilities on employers, and where those responsibilities are not met, injured workers have a structured route to compensation. The process is straightforward, but timing and evidence matter. The sooner you act after an accident at work, the stronger your position will be.
Key Takeaways
- 680,000 workers were injured at work in the UK in 2024/25, according to the HSE Labour Force Survey
- Slips, trips and falls account for 30% of all reported non-fatal injuries at work
- Employers have a legal duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- You cannot be dismissed or penalised for making a genuine claim after a workplace accident
- The standard time limit for a workplace accident claim is three years from the date of injury
- Even if you were partly at fault, a claim may still be possible under contributory negligence rules
- Acting in the first 48 hours after a workplace accident significantly strengthens your position
What to do next
If you have been injured in a workplace accident and are unsure whether you have a valid claim, the clearest first step is a free, no-obligation conversation with a specialist solicitor. This costs nothing and gives you a realistic picture of your options.
- Document what happened while memory is fresh: time, location, what caused the workplace accident, who was present
- Gather your evidence, including photographs, your accident book entry, and medical letters
- Keep all receipts for any costs connected to your injury
- Speak to a solicitor before responding to your employer’s insurer or accepting any offer
Sources & References
- Health and Safety Executive, Key Statistics 2024/25, published November 2025. Source for all figures: 680,000 non-fatal injuries (Labour Force Survey), 124 fatalities, 59,219 RIDDOR-reported injuries, 40.1 million working days lost, and £22.9 billion economic cost.
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the primary legislation governing employer duties of care in Great Britain. Sets out the legal framework within which employer liability claims are assessed.
- Limitation Act 1980, s.11, sets the three-year limitation period within which a personal injury claim must be issued in England and Wales.
- HSE, Non-Fatal Injuries at Work in Great Britain 2024/25, source for the breakdown of work injury causes by category including slips/trips/falls (30%), manual handling (17%), struck by object (10%), violence (10%), falls from height (8%).
- Solicitors Regulation Authority, the regulatory framework governing how Claim Time Solicitors handles employer liability claims on a No Win No Fee basis. SRA No. 444171.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What should I do immediately after a workplace accident?
Seek medical attention first, even if the injury seems minor. Report the workplace accident to your employer as soon as you are able, ensure it is recorded in the accident book, gather evidence including photographs and witness details, and speak to a solicitor before making any statements to your employer’s insurer.
2. How long do I have to make a workplace accident claim?
3. Can I be sacked for making a workplace accident claim?
4. Can I claim if the workplace accident was partly my fault?
5. What evidence do I need for a workplace accident claim?
Glossary of Key Terms
- Duty of Care
- The legal obligation an employer owes to all workers to take reasonable steps to ensure their health, safety, and welfare. Established by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It cannot be delegated and applies even where the employer uses contractors or agency workers.
- RIDDOR
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. Requires employers to report certain incidents and injuries to the HSE, including fatalities, specified injuries, and incidents resulting in more than seven days' absence from work.
- Contributory Negligence
- The legal principle that reduces compensation where a worker was partly responsible for the accident. Compensation is reduced proportionally to reflect the claimant's share of fault, but it is not eliminated entirely unless the claimant was wholly at fault.
- General Damages
- Compensation for the injury itself: pain, suffering, and loss of amenity. Assessed using the Judicial College Guidelines 18th Edition (April 2026).
- Special Damages
- Compensation for financial losses that can be evidenced with receipts and records. In work injury claims these typically include lost earnings, medical treatment costs, travel to appointments, and future care needs.
- Employer Liability Insurance
- Compulsory insurance that all UK employers must hold under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969. In practice, most compensation for a workplace accident is paid by the employer's insurer, not the employer directly.
- CFA (Conditional Fee Agreement)
- A No Win No Fee arrangement. If your workplace accident claim succeeds, a success fee of up to 25% (including VAT) of the compensation recovered is deducted. If the claim is unsuccessful, you owe nothing for legal costs. Terms are agreed in writing before the case begins.
Disclaimer:This article provides general legal information about UK personal injury law and is not a substitute for tailored legal advice. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case. For advice on your specific circumstances, please contact a member of our team. Information correct as of June 2026. Claim Time Solicitors is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 444171).
