In 2023/2024, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that there were 51 fatal injuries in the construction sector. A Texas construction site incident in April 2025 underscores the need for robust safety measures in the construction industry. This incident involved the collapse of scaffolding, which tragically resulted in three workers falling over 60 feet to their deaths and caused injuries to two others.
The HSE reported that in the UK, falls from height were accountable for 40% of fatal injuries across all sectors. In the construction sector, falls from height are the leading cause of fatal injuries, accounting for over half of industry fatalities. They are also a major cause of non-fatal injuries.
What is a fall from height?
Notably, according to the HSE, a fall from height has no minimum distance. It is any fall from one level to another which could cause injury and includes any work activities carried out above ground level, such as working on ladders, scaffolds or platforms.
The causes of such accidents can include:
- Inadequate fall protection systems
- Improper use of ladders and scaffolding
- Slippery or unstable surfaces
- Poor lighting
Such accidents can be prevented with the use of personal fall arrest systems, regular inspection/maintenance of scaffolding/ladders, training workers on safety practice, and ensuring adequate lighting/non-slip surfaces.
Other common causes of fatal accidents
Other fatal accidents in the construction sector arise from:
- Electrocutions: Contact with live electrical wires and equipment.
- Struck-by Incidents: Workers being struck by heavy machinery or falling objects.
- Caught-in/between Incidents: Workers can be caught in or between equipment, structures, or materials.
How do I succeed with making a claim?
An employer has a duty to ensure that your working environment is safe. It is the responsibility of every employer to assess all risks to their employees and, once identified, to do everything to reduce those risks to the lowest level reasonably practicable. It is also a requirement for employers to have insurance to safeguard against potential claims if an accident does occur in the workplace.
If an employer fails in its duty to provide a safe working environment, and, as a result, an injury is sustained, including serious injury or death, it is worthwhile exploring whether the employer or insurer is liable to pay compensation.
Fatal accidents in the construction sector, such as the recent scaffolding collapse in Texas, highlight the need for robust safety measures. Families affected by such tragedies deserve appropriate compensation support. Sadly, these types of accident are not exclusive to the construction sector and can occur in many other types of workplaces.
If you have lost a loved one due to a fatal workplace accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Loss of society is a financial award in Scotland which is intended to compensate family members for the stress, anxiety, grief and sorrow that is suffered when a loved one’s death is caused negligently.
Families who have lost a loved one in a workplace accident have 3 years from the date of death to lodge a case at court and serve it upon the Defender e.g. the employer. Should you wish to make a claim, we would recommend contacting a solicitor as soon as possible.
