Fewer industrial accidents reported

The number of accidents at places of work dropped by 2.5 per cent in the second quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

Quoting figures provided by the Department of Social Security, the NSO's labour statistics unit said that 1,023 workers were involved in accidents between March and June this year, which means 26 fewer occupational accidents than in the same period last year.

Most accidents happened in the manufacturing industry (35.2 per cent), followed by construction (15 per cent) and transport, storage and communication (9.3 per cent). Most happened to people employed in elementary (49.6 per cent) and trade (21.7 per cent) occupations while younger workers seem to be more prone to accidents than older workers.

"The age group mostly hit by accidents is the 25 to 34 cohort. In fact, 29.8 per cent of the accidents in the period under review involved people within this bracket," the NSO said.

While most injuries occur in the upper part of the body, wounds and superficial injuries are the most common types of injuries.

The Occupational Health and Safety Authority reported that between April and June three men died at their workplace, the same number as last year.