15 July 2026, Devon – Following the latest provisional workplace fatality figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Devon software developer measure2improve is encouraging organisations in construction, housebuilding and utilities to modernise their approach to health and safety. The company says businesses should move beyond traditional compliance methods and adopt digital tools that help identify and manage risks before incidents occur.
The HSE’s provisional statistics for 2025/26, published on 1 July 2026, show that 126 workers lost their lives in work-related incidents during the year, while a further 104 members of the public were killed. Although workplace fatalities have fallen significantly over the longer term, the pace of improvement has slowed in recent years, prompting concerns that conventional safety practices alone may no longer deliver further reductions.
measure2improve, the developer of the m2i.SHEQ integrated safety, health, environment and quality management platform, believes the latest figures should encourage organisations to reassess how they manage workplace risk.
Richard Howard, Managing Director of measure2improve, said: “Every workplace fatality is a tragedy, and behind every statistic is a family and a community affected. While it’s encouraging that long-term trends have moved in the right direction, the fact that progress is stalling should be a wake-up call for every organisation.
“Too many businesses still rely on spreadsheets, paper forms and disconnected systems to manage safety. That approach makes it harder to spot emerging risks, follow through on actions, and learn from incidents and near misses. If we want to continue driving fatalities down, we need to embrace technology that makes proactive safety management not just possible, but sustainable.”
He continued: “A modern SHEQ platform gives organisations the visibility, consistency and accountability they need to move beyond compliance and genuinely protect their people. The data is telling us that doing more of the same isn’t enough. It’s time for a smarter approach.
“The ONS reports that only 69% of UK firms use cloud-based systems, and HSE is increasingly highlighting the role of data and analytics in improving workplace safety. The question is no longer whether organisations should digitise. It’s whether their SHEQ processes are fit for purpose, because businesses can now benefit from real-time visibility and accountability, yet many are still too slow to embrace these capabilities.
“The technology is available, and organisations have every opportunity to use it.”
measure2improve is encouraging organisations across every sector to review their existing health and safety processes and evaluate whether current systems provide the visibility and oversight needed to reduce risk. With the long-term decline in workplace fatalities beginning to level off, the company believes digital safety management and data-led decision making will play an increasingly important role in improving outcomes.
For more information on m2i.SHEQ, visit https://measure2improve.com
