NEW RESEARCH has revealed that Wales could be the most hazardous place to work in the UK, reporting the highest rate of non-fatal work-related injuries for the year 2023-24.
Across Wales, Blaenau Gwent had the highest rate of non-fatal injuries during the period, followed by Merthyr Tydfil and Neath Port Talbot.
The findings come from a new analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data by health and safety consultancy Rhino Safety, which aimed to identify which areas of the UK have recorded the most work-related injuries for the year from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
Rhino Safety looked at the number of UK work-related injuries reported under the ONS’ RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations), analysing 11 UK regions and more than 300 local authorities for the annual period of 2023-24.
Wales emerged as the UK region with the highest rate of reported non-fatal injuries during this time, with a total of 265 injuries per 100,000 employees. This is based on 3,358 occurrences over the 12 month period, in an estimated population of 1.26 million workers.
Blaenau Gwent helped drive up Wales’ regional ranking as the authority with the highest injury rate in the country, with a rate of 500 reported non-fatal injuries per 100,000 employees. The unitary authority ranked second in the UK overall, highlighting a potentially significant red flag regarding workplace safety for residents in this area.
Merthyr Tydfil came in second in Wales with a rate of 389 reported injuries per 100,000 employees (ranking 12th in the UK overall), while Neath Port Talbot followed with 360 reported injuries per 100,000 employees (ranking 23rd in the UK overall).
Top 10 Welsh authorities with highest rate of non-fatal workplace injuries 2023-24:
- Blaenau Gwent – 500 per 100,000 employees
- Merthyr Tydfil – 389 per 100,000 per employees
- Neath Port Talbot – 360 per 100,000 per employees
- Newport – 341 per 100,000 per employees
- Bridgend – 310 per 100,000 per employees
- Vale of Glamorgan – 307 per 100,000 employees
- Denbighshire – 303 per 100,000 employees
- Carmarthenshire – 297 per 100,000 employees
- Powys – 283 per 100,000 employees
- Monmouthshire – 279 per 100,000 employees
The UK region with the second highest rate in the study was the North East, with a total of 254 reported non-fatal injuries per 100,000 employees, while the East Midlands came in third due to a rate of 245 injuries per 100,000 employees.
Yorkshire and the Humber, along with the West Midlands, rounded out the top five, based on 240 and 237 total reported injuries per 100,000 employees respectively.
Top five UK regions with the highest rate of workplace injuries 2023-24:
- Wales – 265 per 100,000 employees
- North East – 254 per 100,000 employees
- East Midlands – 245 per 100,000 employees
- Yorkshire and the Humber – 240 per 100,000 employees
- West Midlands – 237 per 100,000 employees
Commenting on the findings, Rhino Safety Director and safety expert Simon Walter said: “This data reveals the frequency of injuries across all regions and authorities in the UK, which can arm us with significant insights into the efficacy of health and safety standards in those areas – how rigorous they are, or how well they are being followed.
“The data for the 2023-24 period puts Wales in the spotlight, revealing it as the region with the highest rate of non-fatal workplace injuries compared to its working population.
“It also highlights where in Wales these reports are mostly coming from, which is truly important data for workplaces and health and safety governing bodies.
“While there could be any number of reasons for this higher frequency of reported injuries, such as the most common types of employment in the region like vehicle repair, manufacturing, and construction, or the standard of health and safety regulations for those sectors, it most importantly highlights a need for further investigation so that more can be done to address issues and protect workers.”