Be the first to comment!Non-fatal accidents at work decrease by 16.9%
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At 873, the non-fatal claims of accidents at work decreased by 16.9 per cent in the third quarter this year when compared to the corresponding period last year. There was one fatal accident at work during the period under review.
Non-Fatal Accidents
This news release looks into the claims of accidents at work that were reported to the Department of Social Security (DSS) between July and September 2009. The data given herein include all cases for which an injury benefit claim has been submitted to the DSS, irrespective of the number of working days lost. These administrative records indicate that 873 persons had an accident in the course of their work in the period under review. Accordingly, the number of accidents in the third quarter this year decreased by 178 (-16.9 per cent) over the comparative period in 2008.
Many of these accidents at work occurred in the economic sectors of manufacturing (25.8 per cent); construction (15.2 per cent); and transport, storage and communication (14.0 per cent).
The occupational categories mostly affected were the elementary and trades occupations. The statistics indicate that 397 cases (45.5 per cent) involved people in elementary occupations, while 179 cases (20.5 per cent) affected people in craft/trades work. In the period under review, 46.5 per cent of accidents at work occurred to persons who were under 35 years of age. As a result, the data indicate that 406 of these accidents occurred to this age cohort.
People at work are mostly affected by injuries in the upper extremities of their body. In fact, 42.2 per cent of accidents at work concerned the upper extremities, including hands and fingers. Wounds and superficial injuries are the most common types of injuries and featured 422 (48.3 per cent) times.
Fatal Accidents
The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) reported that between July and September 2009 there was one fatality at work. In the corresponding period of 2008, there was also one fatality at work.
