Three fatal, 1,553 non-fatal accidents at work in first half of 2019

The number of claims in respect of non-fatal accidents at work in the first half of 2019 decreased by 100, or six per cent, compared to the corresponding period in 2018. Three fatal accidents at the workplace were reported in the first half of 2019, the National Statistics Office reported yesterday.

Administrative records show that 1,553 people were involved in non-fatal accidents at work in the first six months of 2019.

The majority of these non-fatal accidents occurred in the manufacturing sector (15.7%). Another 221, or 14.2 per cent, of reported accidents occurred in the construction sector, followed by the transportation and storage sector (207, or 13.3%). When compared to the same period in 2018, the number of accidents decreased by 41 in administrative and support services activities and increased by 40 in human health and social work activities.

The largest share of accidents at the workplace during the reference period involved people working in elementary occupations followed by craft and related trades workers.

Almost half (46.3%) of injuries sustained affected the upper extremities of the body, such as the fingers and hands. Wounds and superficial injuries, and dislocations, sprains and strains were the most common types of injuries, amounting to 889 and 325 cases respectively.

In the first half of 2019, 37.5 per cent of the non-fatal accidents at the workplace occurred within organisations with more than 500 employees.

The standardised incidence rate for non-fatal accidents in 2018 stood at 1,389 per 100,000 employees. The highest standardised incidence rate of nonfatal accidents at the workplace was recorded in manufacturing, followed by construction and transportation and storage. Between January and June 2019, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) reported three fatal accidents at the workplace, compared to one such accident in the corresponding period of 2018.