Workplaces becoming safer

Working in Malta was much safer between July and September than it was in the same period last year, according to figures rel-eased by the National Statistics Office.

Reported non-fatal accidents at the workplace decreased by 12.8 per cent while there was a 100-per-cent drop in fatal accidents – from two in the third quarter in 2010 to none in the corresponding period this year.

The statistics are bad news for males working in manufacturing: men accounted for 86.8 per cent of all accident victims while manufacturing, with 22.3 per cent, was the most accident-prone economic sector, although accidents in the sector decreased when compared to 2010.

Compared to the corresponding period last year, accidents in the transport, storage and communication sectors increased.

Twenty-five per cent of accidents involved people aged between 25 and 34 while persons aged 45 to 54 were involved in 22.7 per cent of all accidents.

Of the 809 accidents recorded, 370 resulted in wounds and superficial injuries and another 209 causing dislocations, sprains or strains.