A new FOI request submitted to the Health and Safety Executive reveals that construction fire safety standards have improved in the last financial year, but injuries have remained stagnant
This information uncovers the number of fire safety hazards found at construction sites across the UK, the number of enforcement notices issued, and the number of both fatal and non-fatal injuries caused by fires or explosions.
Gary Ellis, fire safety training specialist at CE Safety, commented: “Guidelines in construction are in place for a reason.
“Hazards are endless, and risks are ever-present, so it is a good thing that the HSE approaches fire safety violations seriously, because those who flout the rules are not, and this can come at a high cost to buildings, projects, or lives.”
What does construction fire safety look like across the UK?
Looking at the regions with the most reports of fire safety non-compliance, the South East of England topped the list, with 61 counts in 2024/25. Of these, 9 were for ‘fire and explosion risk’, and 52 were for ‘general fire precautions’.
Across the two categories ‘fire and explosion risk’ and ‘general fire precaution’, these were the five regions with the highest counts of non-compliance in 2024/25:
- South East – 61
- London – 57
- Yorkshire – 41
- East – 40
- North East – 35
Breaking this down by category, in 2024/25, for ‘fire and explosion risk’, Scotland was the worst offender with 11 counts, followed by the South East, East (6), London (6), and South West (5).
If standards are improving, why are injuries remaining stagnant?
Data acquired from the FOI request to the HSE finds that fire safety efforts improved by 37% from 2023/24 to 2024/25 across construction sites in Great Britain.
Despite the increase in fire safety standards, the number of injuries decreased by only one incident, a 6.7% decrease. In the year 23/24, there were 15 non-fatal injuries caused by exposure to fire or explosion, and 14 in 24/25.
Furthermore, the figures provided by the HSE showed that two people, who were not workers, were killed in explosions on construction sites in 2024/25.
Ellis explained: “The construction sector is a dynamic working environment, where continuous change is taking place, and because of this, the fire risk is constantly evolving.
He concluded: “Having strong fire safety principles in place, monitored and enforced on-site, will reduce the risk of serious fires and explosions.”
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