Reported non-fatal accidents at work increased by 5.3 per cent in the second quarter of this year when compared to the corresponding period in 2011. Two fatalities were reported during the same period.

The NSO said today that according to administrative records, 816 persons had an accident at work during the second quarter this year, an increase of 41 over the same period last year.

85.2 per cent involved men. Just under a quarter of non-fatal accidents at work occurred in manufacturing, followed by construction (17.2 per cent) and transportation and storage (10.9 per cent).

When compared to the corresponding period last year, the number of accidents went up by 10 in manufacturing, but decreased by 5 in construction. The number of accidents in transportation and storage remained unchanged.

Most of the accidents at work involved persons in elementary occupations and crafts and related trades workers. In the majority of cases accidents occurred to persons aged 25-34 (25.8 per cent). These were followed by the 35-44 year old age group. Wounds and superficial injuries, and dislocations, strains and sprains were the most common types of injuries, amounting to 378 and 210 cases
respectively. In terms of parts of bodies injured, accidents affecting the upper and lower extremities made up 62.2 per cent of all injuries.

FATAL ACCIDENTS

Between April and June there were two fatal accidents at work, one of them in agriculture and the other in construction.

During the corresponding period last year there was one fatality at work.