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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- Quality Description: Accidents at Work Statistics (27.11.2013)
Updated 27.11.2013
Official Statistics of Finland (OSF):
Occupational accident statistics [e-publication].
ISSN=1797-9544. 2011. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 17.8.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/ttap/2011/ttap_2011_2013-11-27_tie_001_en.html