Avoidable accidents
In relative terms, the National Statistics Office reported fewer accidents at work in the fourth quarter of 2007, according to a news release issued recently. Such accidents decreased by 4.5 per cent when compared to the same quarter in the preceding...
In relative terms, the National Statistics Office reported fewer accidents at work in the fourth quarter of 2007, according to a news release issued recently. Such accidents decreased by 4.5 per cent when compared to the same quarter in the preceding year. That is good news. Nevertheless, in absolute terms, it remains a disturbing fact that more than 10 accidents a day occurred on average during the three months reviewed in the release, giving a total of 979.
The total compares to that of 1,025 reported in October-December 2006. During the same period in 2007, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority reported three fatal accidents at work, against one in the comparable period a year previously.
Relative comparisons tend to mask the crude impact of absolute numbers. The fact is that a single avoidable accident is one too many, let alone over 10 a day. It is indicative and worrying that the largest number of work-related accidents occurred in the manufacturing sector, which accounted for 328 - 33.5 per cent - of reported accidents. The manufacturing sector has been shrinking steadily in recent years, which saw various factories closing down or reducing their activities. The construction and transport, storage and communications sectors saw 14 and 12 per cent of the reported accidents respectively (137 and 117).
Such data indicate that manual workers are the most exposed to the risk of accidents at work. This is confirmed by the NSO's release.
It states that accidents at work mostly concern people employed in elementary occupations, or those absorbing unskilled or lower-skilled workers. The given statistics, says the release, indicate that 489 cases (50 per cent) concerned people in elementary occupations, while 200 cases (20.4 per cent) involved people in craft/trades work.
Moreover, the fourth quarter data show that 43.2 per cent of accidents at work occurred to individuals less than 35 years of age. Eightyeight per cent - numbering 860 - of the injured workers were males (so 112 females were injured).
Many of these accidents at work do not come to the attention of the public since it is only grievous accidents or deaths that are reported in the media. Nevertheless, the incidence of mishaps is extensive and worrying. It suggests that either workers are not being provided with enough protection on the job, or that not enough workers are making use of the protection made available to them.
Enforcement is also called into question. There are health and safety requirements binding on all employers. They are detailed enough but enforcement cannot be done on a blanket basis since that would take a massive cohort of enforcers.
That allowed for, it is still the case that enforcement is not made known to the public as extensively as it should be if it is to serve as a deterrent to employers and employees alike who do not abide by the requirements of health and safety regulations.
It is not enough for every place of work to be required to have a person nominated by the employees to monitor health and safety conditions.
Unfortunately it is a fact that there are employees who do not make use of protective clothing given to them, like boots, helmets and gloves, let alone insist that their employers provide them with adequate health and safety protection.
Although the structure of the economy is changing, with more jobs created in what used to be known as white-collar activities, there are still thousands of workers carrying out work which is exposed to occupational hazards.
Which is why Malta's stand in regard to the EU's efforts to impose stricter rules to ensure safety at work and healthy practices, including restrictions on the amount of overtime that can be worked, bears more critical appraisal than is being extended to it. In the overall context of health and safety, the initiative by the General Workers' Union to set up a mechanism to delve more deeply into the issue, and its invitation to employers to join it in this enterprise, are a move in the right direction.
Rather oddly, the NSO's news release on accidents at work during the fourth quarter of 2007 does not also include the totals to date, that is for the whole year. The data will be released soon enough. They will show the trend in this particular area and, hopefully, serve to create more awareness about what needs to be done to avoid accidents at work, especially through negligence.
The total compares to that of 1,025 reported in October-December 2006. During the same period in 2007, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority reported three fatal accidents at work, against one in the comparable period a year previously.
Relative comparisons tend to mask the crude impact of absolute numbers. The fact is that a single avoidable accident is one too many, let alone over 10 a day. It is indicative and worrying that the largest number of work-related accidents occurred in the manufacturing sector, which accounted for 328 - 33.5 per cent - of reported accidents. The manufacturing sector has been shrinking steadily in recent years, which saw various factories closing down or reducing their activities. The construction and transport, storage and communications sectors saw 14 and 12 per cent of the reported accidents respectively (137 and 117).
Such data indicate that manual workers are the most exposed to the risk of accidents at work. This is confirmed by the NSO's release.
It states that accidents at work mostly concern people employed in elementary occupations, or those absorbing unskilled or lower-skilled workers. The given statistics, says the release, indicate that 489 cases (50 per cent) concerned people in elementary occupations, while 200 cases (20.4 per cent) involved people in craft/trades work.
Moreover, the fourth quarter data show that 43.2 per cent of accidents at work occurred to individuals less than 35 years of age. Eightyeight per cent - numbering 860 - of the injured workers were males (so 112 females were injured).
Many of these accidents at work do not come to the attention of the public since it is only grievous accidents or deaths that are reported in the media. Nevertheless, the incidence of mishaps is extensive and worrying. It suggests that either workers are not being provided with enough protection on the job, or that not enough workers are making use of the protection made available to them.
Enforcement is also called into question. There are health and safety requirements binding on all employers. They are detailed enough but enforcement cannot be done on a blanket basis since that would take a massive cohort of enforcers.
That allowed for, it is still the case that enforcement is not made known to the public as extensively as it should be if it is to serve as a deterrent to employers and employees alike who do not abide by the requirements of health and safety regulations.
It is not enough for every place of work to be required to have a person nominated by the employees to monitor health and safety conditions.
Unfortunately it is a fact that there are employees who do not make use of protective clothing given to them, like boots, helmets and gloves, let alone insist that their employers provide them with adequate health and safety protection.
Although the structure of the economy is changing, with more jobs created in what used to be known as white-collar activities, there are still thousands of workers carrying out work which is exposed to occupational hazards.
Which is why Malta's stand in regard to the EU's efforts to impose stricter rules to ensure safety at work and healthy practices, including restrictions on the amount of overtime that can be worked, bears more critical appraisal than is being extended to it. In the overall context of health and safety, the initiative by the General Workers' Union to set up a mechanism to delve more deeply into the issue, and its invitation to employers to join it in this enterprise, are a move in the right direction.
Rather oddly, the NSO's news release on accidents at work during the fourth quarter of 2007 does not also include the totals to date, that is for the whole year. The data will be released soon enough. They will show the trend in this particular area and, hopefully, serve to create more awareness about what needs to be done to avoid accidents at work, especially through negligence.