Construction and retail are the joint riskiest industries to work in the UK in 2026, according to a new Workplace Risk Index published by online training provider iHasco.
The 2026 Risk Index combines the latest data from the Health and Safety Executive with insights from an internal survey of UK businesses conducted by iHasco. Sectors were ranked using indicators including workplace accident rates, fatal injuries, mental health-related absences and HSE enforcement actions.
Industries were assigned scores out of 90, with higher scores indicating greater risk. Construction and retail both received 85 out of 90, placing them at the top of the rankings. Manufacturing followed with 81 out of 90, while the care sector scored 76. Office-based roles received 57.
Health and Social Care recorded the highest number of workplace accidents in 2025, with 79,000 incidents. Retail followed with 75,000. Construction recorded 47,000 incidents and manufacturing 51,000.
Official HSE statistics for 2024–2025 report an estimated 680,000 non-fatal workplace injuries across Great Britain, based on self-reports from the Labour Force Survey. There were also 124 worker fatalities in work-related accidents.
The findings indicate that workplace risk is not confined to traditionally hazardous industries and is increasingly evident in service and customer-facing sectors.
iHasco’s survey found that 57% of businesses identified improving mental health and managing workplace stress as their primary health and safety focus for the year ahead. Manual handling, lifting injuries, and workplace well-being ranked second at 31%.
Respondents rated their organisation’s health and safety culture at an average of 7.94 out of 10.
Nathan Pitman, managing director at iHasco, said: “The data from our 2026 Risk Index is a clear wake-up call. When Health & Safety procedures and staff well-being are sidelined, the consequences are severe, from injuries and rising absence rates to reputational damage that can be difficult to reverse.”
“As we head into the winter months, having robust procedures in place becomes even more critical. Slips and trips increase during winter, and the physical and mental strain on staff often peaks at this time of year.”
“We’re seeing that businesses that treat training as a continuous habit rather than a once-a-year exercise are far more confident in their safety culture.”
“Workplace safety doesn’t need to be daunting. With regular training and clear procedures, organisations can turn complex compliance into simple, everyday behaviour. In 2026, a proactive safety culture is one of the strongest ways to protect people, performance and long-term growth.”
The complete 2026 Risk Index is available on the iHasco website.
Top 9 riskiest industries in the UK for 2026
- Construction – 85 out of 90
- Retail – 85 out of 90
- Manufacturing – 81 out of 90
- Care – 76 out of 90
- Office – 57 out of 90
- Public Administration and Defence – 53 out of 90
- Education – 53 out of 90
- Private Sector – 35 out of 90
- Accommodation and food service activities – 35 out of 90