In the last quarter of 2008 claims with regard to non-fatal accidents at work decreased by 17.5 per cent when compared to the corresponding period of the preceding year.

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 October and December 2008. The data includes 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 820 persons had an accident in the course of their work in the period under review. Accordingly, the number of accidents in the fourth quarter last year decreased by 174 (-17.5 per cent) when compared to the last quarter of 2007.

Many of these accidents at work occurred in the economic sectors of manufacturing (25.7 per cent); construction (16.6 per cent); and transport, storage, and communications (10.8 per cent). The occupational categories that are mostly affected by accidents are the elementary and trades occupations. In this way, the given statistics indicate that 436 cases (53.2 per cent) concerned people in elementary occupations, while 145 cases (17.7 per cent) affected people in craft/ trades work.

In the period under review, persons under 35 years of age were the victims of 47.0 per cent of an accident at work. As a result, the data in hand indicate that 385 of these accidents occurred to this age cohort.

People at work are mostly affected by injuries in the upper extremities of their body. Accordingly, 45.2 per cent of accidents at work concerned the upper extremities of the body, including hands and fingers. Wounds and superficial injuries are the most common types of injuries. In this respect, wounds and superficial injuries featured in 349 (42.6 per cent) of these mishaps.

Fatal Accidents – The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) reported that between October and December 2008 there were no fatalities at work. During the corresponding period of the preceding year, there were three fatalities at work

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