The recently released provisional Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data for 2025/26 highlights a concerning situation for industrial operations across Great Britain. While the overall number of workplace fatalities remained relatively flat at 126 worker deaths (compared to 124 the previous year), a disturbing trend has emerged beneath the headline numbers.
Significant Increase in Workplace Fatalities
The number of workers killed after being struck by a moving vehicle rose by a surprising 71%, spiking from 14 fatalities in 2024/25 to 24 in 2025/26.
This category saw the sharpest increase of any fatal accident type recorded by the regulator. It sends a clear message to site managers, health and safety directors, and operations leaders: workplace transport risk is escalating rapidly.
A Vital Need for Segregation and Technology
Behind each of these numbers is a preventable tragedy. Moving vehicles—including forklifts, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), telehandlers, and loading shovels—remain essential in sectors like construction, manufacturing, and transport and storage. However, traditional safety measures like high-visibility clothing, floor markings, and basic signage are no longer enough to prevent devastating pedestrian-vehicle collisions.
The provisional HSE Work-Related Fatal Injuries Report outlines that vehicle-to-pedestrian interactions are among the leading causes of avoidable death. In high-risk environments, maintaining absolute physical segregation between heavy plant machinery and ground workers is incredibly difficult without active, real-time intervention.
To reduce the risk of being struck by a moving vehicle on your worksite, check out ZoneSafe’s Vehicle-To-Person Alert proximity warning systems page – safety solutions to reduce the risk of accidents on your worksite between vehicles and pedestrian workers.
