Occupational accidents down

No fatal accidents at work were reported in the second quarter this year and claims in respect of non-fatal ones decreased by 2.6 per cent when compared to the corresponding period last year, the NSO said.

The National Statistics Office said that according to administrative records 848 workers had an occupational accident in the period under review.

Accordingly, the number of accidents in the second quarter this year decreased by 23 over the same period in 2009.

714 men experienced an occupational accident against 134 women. When comparing these figures to those recorded in 2009, there was a drop in the number of accidents at work which involved men and an increase in those which affected women.

The majority of occupational accidents occurred in manufacturing (23.8 per cent); construction (15.5 per cent); and transport, storage and communication (12.7 per cent).

When compared to the corresponding period last year, the number of accidents at work in manufacturing dropped by 10, while those in construction dropped by 31.

Accidents in transport, storage and communication increased by 11.

In the three months to June, people employed in elementary occupations were the most affected by occupational accidents. Accordingly, 397 accidents, or 46.8 per cent, involved persons in such occupations despite a drop of 8.3 per cent when compared to 2009.

Craft and related trades workers experienced 148 accidents, or 17.4 per cent, of the total.

Nearly half (43.6 per cent) of accidents at work happened to persons aged under 35.

At 376 or 44.3 per cent, wounds and superficial injuries were the most common types of injuries.