Revealed: The most dangerous jobs in the UK

One in four workers have been hurt doing their job and, on average, 140 die each year

The working world is a dangerous place for many Brits and it’s worrying to see so many people suffering injuries in the workplace

Editorial Team Features, Monday 02 November 2015 Jump to Comments(0) 3,558 Views

Ever wondered what the most injury-prone job in the UK is? The Police, factory worker or perhaps being a HGV driver? According to a new survey conducted by comparison website Confused.com, you’re more likely to hurt yourself cutting hair than being a bobby on the beat.

The survey data reveals the top three jobs associated with injuries were:

Hairdressers and beauticians
Electricians or plumbers
Police officers

As hair and beauty proved to be the most accident-prone job, the most common injury was people cutting themselves, accounting for two out of every five workplace injuries. This was followed by sprains (one in five accidents), burns (one in six) and broken bones (one in ten).

Other common injuries included being run over by a forklift truck, people stapling their thumb and police officers being assaulted during an arrest.

More than 5% of those people injured at work claimed that their injury was life changing.

“The working world is a dangerous place for many Brits and it’s worrying to see so many people suffering injuries in the workplace,” said Jessica Willock, head of life insurance at Confused.com.

“There are many industries out there where you may expect injury to be commonplace but the fact that so many people were injured working in hair and beauty shows that injuries can occur in any working environment.

“What’s even more worrying is just how many people have died over the past seven years while carrying out their job. This goes to show how unpredictable life can be – and with nearly half saying they are the main financial earner in their household, families could be left struggling should the worst happen.”

Five most dangerous industries: