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Published: 29 May 2009

Risk of accidents at work still highest in building construction

Wage and salary earners’ risk of accidents is highest in building construction. In 2007 persons engaged in building construction had 10,906 accidents at work resulting in at least four days’ absence from work per 100,000 wage and salary earners. This means that the risk of accidents at work continues to be over four times as high in building construction than the average for wage and salary earners per 100,000 wage and salary earners (2,530). The most recent occupational accident statistics contain data on the accidents at work of wage and salary earners and own-account workers in agriculture in 2007. The statistics also contain data on accidents at work that have occurred to other self-employed persons and wage and salary earners’ commuting accidents.

In 2007 wage and salary earners had a total of 119,260 accidents at work for which insurance companies paid compensation. Disability of at least four days resulted from 55,471 of these accidents. The number of wage and salary earners’ accidents at work increased somewhat from the year before. The increase in the number of accidents concentrated mostly on minor accidents at work resulting in a disability of less than four days, whose number increased by 5.1 per cent from 2006.

The number of accidents at work resulting in a disability of at least four days remained nearly on level with the previous year (+0.4 per cent). When measured by the accident incidence rate, the risk of accidents at work fell slightly from the year 2006 (-2.0%). In 2007 a total of 2,530 accidents at work resulting in a disability of at least four days occurred per 100,000 wage and salary earners. The corresponding ratio in 2006 was 2,582.

Similarly to earlier years, the work of own-account workers in agriculture continues to be more risk prone than the average work of wage and salary earners. The accident incidence rate of own-account workers in agriculture is more than twice that of wage and salary earners. In 2007 the Farmers' Social Insurance Institution paid out compensation to own-account workers in agriculture for a total of 5,795 accidents at work, of which 4,759 led to an absence of work of at least four days.

The occupational accident proneness of own-account workers in agriculture measured by the accident incidence rate increased from the year before (by 2.9%). In 2007 the number of accidents at work of own-account workers in agriculture resulting in an absence from work of at least four days was 5,465 per 100,000 insured own-account workers in agriculture. The corresponding ratio in 2006 was 5,627.

In 2007 a total of 76 persons died at their place or work or while commuting. Of these fatal accidents 37 occurred to wage and salary earners, 8 to own-account workers in agriculture and 3 to other self-employed persons. In addition, 28 fatal accidents occurred while commuting, of which 25 occurred to wage and salary earners. The number of fatal occupational accidents grew from the year before, as in 2006 a total of 71 persons suffered fatal accidents at work or while commuting.

Accidents at work and fatal accidents at work of wage and salary earners and own-account workers in agriculture in 2007

	Accidents at work	Resulting in disability of at least 4 days	Accidents at work resulting in disability of at least four days/100,000 persons	Fatal accidents at work
Wage and salary earners	119 260	55 471	2 530	37
Own-accounts workers	5 795	4 759	5 465	8

Source: Occupational accident statistics 2007, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Arto Miettinen 09–1734 2963

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 29.5.2009