More accidents at work

During the first quarter of this year 1,032 persons had an accident at work, an increase of 3.3 per cent over the same period last year, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

However, there were no fatalities, unlike in the same period in 2006 when three persons died at work.

Many of the workplace accidents occurred in manufacturing (34.3 per cent), construction (17.8 per cent), transport, storage, and communications (10.7 per cent) and the wholesale and retail trade (7.4 per cent).

Accidents at work mostly concern people employed in elementary occupations and craft/trades work. Statistics show that 514 cases (49.8 per cent) involved people in elementary occupations, while 223 cases (21.6 per cent) affected people in craft/trades work.

In the period under review, 44.1 per cent of the accidents occurred to persons under 35 years of age.

People at work are mostly affected by injuries to the upper extremities.

Wounds and superficial injuries are the most common types of injuries. Actually, wounds and superficial injuries featured in 423 (41 per cent) of these mishaps.