Lifting Equipment Accident Statistics: Global Data and UK Safety

UK crane and lifting accident data

HSE groups its national fatal injury figures by industry and accident mechanism. Categories such as being struck by a moving object cover a wider range of events than crane loads, and its construction total includes many activities beyond lifting.

Equipment-specific case reports and industry datasets add detail about how lifting incidents happen. Their value depends on the equipment covered and the reporting system: a powered-access platform, a construction hoist and a crane are different equipment groups.

Global powered-access incidents in 2025

IPAF’s 2026 Global Safety Report records 76 fatalities and 192 people involved in fatal and major incidents during 2025. Reports came from 25 countries and regions. Electrocution or electric shock, falls from platforms and overturns feature prominently in its findings.

The database consists of reported incidents rather than a complete worldwide census. Reporting differs between countries, and later submissions can revise historical totals. Country shares therefore describe the submitted data, not a ranking of national risk.

What the incident types mean for lifting work

Contact with electrical hazards, platform falls and overturns require different controls. Planning needs to consider overhead obstructions and power lines, the surface and stability of the equipment, the operating position and people nearby.

The load path is also central to lifting operations. A lift plan should account for the load’s characteristics, the equipment’s capacity and configuration, ground conditions and how people will be kept clear of danger.

LOLER examination intervals

HSE gives default thorough-examination intervals of six months for equipment lifting people and for lifting accessories, and twelve months for other lifting equipment. A competent person’s examination scheme can specify different intervals.

Examination may also be needed after assembly, installation or exceptional circumstances that could affect safety. Periodic examinations work alongside maintenance and pre-use checks.

Planning and competence

LOLER requires lifting operations to be planned by a competent person, supervised appropriately and carried out safely. The detail of the plan should reflect the task’s complexity and risk.

Employers need to establish competence for the equipment and operation involved. Training, experience and supervision are relevant; a site or contract may also require particular certification.

Frequently asked questions

Do HSE construction fatality totals show how many people died in crane accidents?

They include all covered accident types in construction. A crane-specific count requires equipment-level records; the construction total alone cannot provide it.

What does IPAF’s 76-fatality figure cover?

It covers reported powered-access incidents worldwide in 2025. IPAF received reports from 25 countries and regions, covering equipment such as mobile elevating work platforms, mast-climbing work platforms and construction hoists.

Does LOLER always require examination every six months?

No. Six months is the default for lifting people and for lifting accessories; other lifting equipment normally has a twelve-month interval. A competent-person examination scheme may specify different intervals.