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Published: 27 November 2013

Number of accidents at work in Finland 142,000 in 2011

A total of 142,000 accidents at work occurred in Finland in 2011. Around 131,000 of these occurred to wage and salary earners and some 11,400 to self-employed persons (including farmers). The majority, or almost 119,000 of all accidents at work occurred at places of work or while in work traffic, whereas slightly over 23,000 of them occurred while commuting. These numbers also include minor accidents at work that led to disability lasting less than four days, and on which insurance companies paid compensation only for medical treatment expenses.

Number of wage and salary earners’, self-employed persons’ and farmers’ accidents at work by severity in 2011

	Total	Accidents at work	Commuting accidents
Total	142 494	119 083	23 411
Less than 4 days	79 014	66 148	12 866
At least 4 days	63 425	52 902	10 523
Fatal accidents	55	33	22
Wage and salary earners	131 138	108 339	22 799
Less than 4 days	75 292	62 692	12 600
At least 4 days	55 799	45 621	10 178
Fatal accidents	47	26	21
Self-employed persons	6 841	6 229	612
Less than 4 days	3 072	2 806	266
At least 4 days	3 765	3 420	345
Fatal accidents	4	3	1
Farmers	4 515	4 515	–
Less than 4 days	650	650	–
At least 4 days	3 861	3 861	–
Fatal accidents	4	4	–

The number of accidents at work increased slightly in 2011. In 2010, there were 135,000 accidents at work and in 2009 the respective figure was nearly 128,000. Wage and salary earners' accidents at work increased from 2005 to 2008, but in 2009 the total number of accidents at work fell to the level where it was ten years previously. The economic downturn in Finland in 2009 and changes in the number of hours worked explain for the main part the change. It is not meaningful to make detailed comparisons of the time series prior and subsequent to 2005 with relation to total numbers (incl. cases resulting in disability of under four days) on account of the full-cost renewal that entered into force in 2005.

Since the reference year 2005, an accident at work has been defined in Statistics Finland’s statistics on occupational accidents according to the definition used in Eurostat's (the Statistical Office of the European Communities) European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW). According to the definition, the statistics contain data on accidents at work which have resulted in "disability of at least four days". Most of the data in this online release are presented using this criterion. The time series have been revised retrospectively to correspond with the definition.

In 2011, a total of 55 persons died at the place of work or while commuting. Of these fatal accidents at work, 26 occurred to wage and salary earners, four to own-account workers in agriculture and three to other self-employed persons. In addition, 22 fatal accidents took place while commuting, of which 21 occurred to wage and salary earners and one to other self-employed persons than farmers. The number of fatal accidents at work fell clearly from the year before, as in 2010 a total of 61 persons suffered fatal accidents at work or while commuting.

The victims of all fatal accidents at work included 47 wage and salary earners, four farmers and four other self-employed persons.

Source: Occupational accident statistics 2011, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Arto Miettinen 09 1734 2963, tyotapaturmat@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 27.11.2013