Annual figures for work-related fatal injuries for 2018/19 released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that 30 people were killed on construction sites between April 2018 and March 2019. The figure is down on the annual five-year average of 36 and the lowest since modern records begun back in 1981.

The fatal injury rate in construction also fell to 1.31 per 100,000 workers which is four times higher than the average rate across all industries.

Only the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector accounts for a larger share of fatal injuries than construction with 32 deaths recorded in 2018/19.

The three most common causes of fatal injuries continue to be; workers falling from height (40), being struck by a moving vehicle (30) and being struck by a moving object (16), accounting for nearly 60 per cent of fatal injuries in 2018/19.

HSE chair Martin Temple said: “(The) release of workplace fatality statistics is a reminder that despite the UK’s world leading position in health and safety, we cannot become complacent as we seek to fulfil our mission in preventing injury, ill health and death at work.”

He added: “These statistics also remind us that, in certain sectors of the economy, workplace death remain worryingly high.

“Whatever the sector, we should remember that any change in numbers provides little comfort to the family, friends and colleagues of the 147 whose lives were cut short this year while doing their job.”