Claims for fatal accidents down 6.8%

Administrative records indicate that 723 persons had an accident in the course of their work between January and March 2011. Accordingly, the number of accidents decreased by 53, or 6.8 per cent, over the corresponding period in 2010. The majority - 608 persons - involved in an accident at work were men. There was a decrease in the number of accidents for both sexes when compared to the previous year.

The majority of accidents at work occurred in manufacturing (26.3 per cent); construction (16.3 per cent); and wholesale and retail trade (10.2 per cent). When compared to the corresponding period last year, the number of accidents in manufacturing increased by 14, while those in construction and wholesale and retail trade decreased by 35 and 13 respectively.

Persons employed in elementary occupations and crafts and related trades tended to be more subject to an accident. In this regard 216 accidents, or 29.9 per cent, involved persons in elementary occupations, while 178 accidents, or 24.6 per cent, concerned crafts and related trades workers.

One in four accidents at work involved persons aged between 25 and 34 (Table 4). Women between 45 and 54 years were the most likely to have an accident, while in respect of men, the majority of accidents occurred to those in the 25-34 age bracket.

Wounds and superficial injuries and dislocations as well as strains and sprains were the most common types of injuries. Such injuries amounted to 301 (41.6 per cent) and 228 (31.5 per cent) respectively. In terms of the part of the body injured, accidents involving upper and lower extremities were the most common cases recorded during this three-month period.

Between January and March, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) did not report any

fatal accident at work.