Construction has been named the joint riskiest industry to work in the UK in 2026, according to a new Risk Index from leading online training provider iHasco.

The 2026 Risk Index analyses the latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) data alongside an internal survey of UK businesses, ranking sectors based on workplace accident rates, fatal injuries, mental health-related absences and HSE enforcement action.

Each industry was assessed across multiple indicators and combined into a proprietary index, with scores ranging from 0 to 90. Those with the highest overall scores were identified as the riskiest.

Construction shares the top position with retail, both scoring 85/90, followed by manufacturing (81/90) and the care sector (76/90). Office-based roles, often perceived as low risk, still recorded a mid-table score of 57/90.

The findings reinforce construction’s long-standing position as one of the UK’s highest-risk sectors, while also pointing to a broader shift in how workplace risk is distributed.

In 2025, Health and Social Care reported the highest number of workplace accidents, with 79,000 incidents, followed closely by Retail with 75,000 incidents. Both sectors now exceed accident figures in Construction (47,000) and Manufacturing (51,000), underlining how risk is increasingly distributed across customer-facing and people-intensive environments.

Looking ahead, iHasco’s survey of its customer base highlights a clear shift in how organisations are approaching health and safety.

Over half of businesses (57%) stated that improving mental health and managing workplace stress are their top priorities for the year ahead. Manual handling, lifting injuries and workplace wellbeing ranked second at 31%, reinforcing that leadership and communication are as critical as physical safety measures on site.

Encouragingly, this more proactive approach is having an impact. When asked to rate their confidence in their organisation’s health and safety procedures, respondents gave an average score of 7.94 out of 10, indicating strong belief in current safety culture.

Commenting on the findings, 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 wellbeing 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 for viewing here.

Top Nine Riskiest Industries in the UK for 2026

1. Construction - 85/90
2. Retail - 85/90
3. Manufacturing - 81/90
4. Care - 76/90
5. Office - 57/90
6. Public Administration and Defence - 53/90
7. Education - 53/90
8. Private Sector - 35/90
9. Accommodation & food service activities - 35/90