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Inadequate safety training has topped the list of causes of accidents on UK construction sites in a survey commissioned by SafeSite Facilties which delivers site safety products to construction companies nationwide.
The survey of 500 industry professionals, also found 34 per cent said site safety standards had declined.
When asked to name the cause of most accidents on site, the top eight were:
- Inadequate safety training
- Inadequate risk management
- Poor on-site communication
- Inadequate safety fencing
- Safety risks around modular buildings
- Mental health challenges
- Working at height
- Machinery
The survey, conducted by Censuswide across August and September 2025, reached UK construction professionals aged 18-55.
Dr Lowellyne James, HSEQ Manager at Safesite Facilities, said: “These findings are cause for concern. To address them, construction businesses need to go beyond training and consider competency, looking at training, qualifications and experience.
“Construction businesses must consider if employees are competent to work on site, safely with no harm to the environment to ensure better quality outcomes for the business and for its stakeholders.
“In the current economic climate many businesses have been realigning their focus towards survival, which is basically looking at the bottom line.
“To address these concerns there needs to be a reallocation of resources towards improved practises where construction businesses lean on new technological development such as AI and advanced mobile technology.”
Results from the survey were not all bad news for the industry. It found that 57 per cent of construction workers thought safety standards had improved over the last five years, with nine per cent saying they had remained stable.
In addition, 84 per cent rated safety on site as ‘good’ and 69 per cent said they felt safe on site.
However, there are clearly lessons to be learned from the results when it comes to training and preparedness.
Paul Goossens, Operations Director at SafeSite Facilities, commented: “As well as putting budget and time behind safety training, construction companies need to consider their broader site safety strategies.
“AI enabled CCTV has not been widely adopted by the construction industry as yet, but we see great potential for this new technology to improve site safety in the future.
“It’s capable of scanning for workers who are not wearing PPE and even detecting proximity to heavy machinery, sending out alerts and providing an important safety net.”
When asked ‘how safe do you feel on site?’ 68.5 per cent felt safe, 23 per cent were neutral, while eight per cent said they felt not safe, however this increased to 14 per cent for site supervisors, 13 per cent for cost estimators and 12 per cent for surveyors, who reported feeling not safe.
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