At 771, the non-fatal claims of accidents at work decreased by 3.4 per cent when compared to the corresponding quarter 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 January and March 2010. The data given herein include all cases for which an injury benefit claim has been submitted to the DSS, irrespective of the number of days lost. These administrative records indicate that 771 persons had an accident in the course of their work in the period under review. Accordingly, the number of accidents in the first quarter decreased by 27 (-3.4 per cent) over the corresponding period last year.

Many of these accidents at work occurred in the sectors of manufacturing (20.9 per cent); construction (19.3 per cent); and transport, storage and communication (13.4 per cent). When compared to the first quarter of 2009, the number of accidents at work in manufacturing dropped by 39. On the other hand, accidents in construction and transport, storage and communication increased by 28 and 19 respectively.

In January-March 2010, persons employed in elementary occupations were the most involved in accidents at work. Accordingly, 347 accidents, or 45.0 per cent, occurred to persons in elementary occupations. Such figures were however down by 19 per cent when compared to the corresponding quarter last year. On their part, craft and related trades workers reported 136 accidents, or 17.6 per cent, of the total accidents that happened in the first quarter of 2010. In the period under review, nearly four in ten accidents at work affected persons aged 45 and over.

Wounds and superficial injuries are the most common types of injuries. In this respect, wounds and superficial injuries characterised 303, or 39.3 per cent, of these mishaps. In comparison to the preceding year, accidents at work involving such injuries dropped by 24. At 41.2 per cent, the proportion of men affected by these types of injuries was higher than that of women (30.1 per cent). On the other hand, women tend to suffer more from dislocations, sprains and strains when compared with men. During the first quarter of 2010, 43.6 per cent of the accidents affecting women involved dislocations, sprains and strains, in comparison to 30.3 per cent of men.

Fatal Accidents

The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) reported that, between January and March 2010, there was one male fatality, which occured in the construction sector. During the corresponding period last year, there were three fatalities. Revised data for 2009 (whole year) are also being provided in this release.

Permalink: Non-fatal accidents at work down 3.4% in January to March