At 858, the non-fatal claims of accidents at work decreased by 29.1 per cent when compared to the corresponding quarter in the preceding year. There was one fatal accident at work during the period under review.

Non-Fatal Accidents

This news release looks into the claims of accidents at work that were reported to the Department of Social Security (DSS) between April and June 2009. The data given herein include all cases for which an injury benefit claim has been submitted to the DSS, irrespective of the number of working days lost. These administrative records indicate that 858 persons had an accident in the course of their work in the period under review. Accordingly, the number of accidents in the second quarter this year decreased by 352 (-29.1 per cent) over the comparative period in 2008.

Many of these accidents at work occurred in the economic sectors of manufacturing (24.6 per cent); construction (18.3 per cent); and wholesale and retail trade (11.1 per cent).

The occupational categories mostly affected were the elementary and trades occupations. The statistics indicate that 428 cases (49.9 per cent) involved people in elementary occupations, while 165 cases (19.2 per cent) affected people in craft/trades work.

In the period under review, 43.4 per cent of accidents at work occurred to persons who were under 35 years of age. As a result, the data indicate that 372 of these accidents occurred to this age cohort. People at work are mostly affected by injuries in the upper extremities of their body. In fact, 42.7 per cent of accidents at work concerned the upper extremities, including hands and fingers. Wounds and superficial injuries are the most common types of injuries and featured 387 (45.1 per cent) times.

Fatal Accidents

The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) reported that between April and June 2009 there was one fatality at work. In the corresponding period of 2008, no fatalities at work were reported.