Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Unit C2 Labour Market and Information Society Statistics
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
National Statistics Office, Labour Market and Information Society Statistics Unit, Lascaris War Rooms, Valletta VLT 2000, Malta.
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
7 July 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
7 July 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
7 July 2025
3.1. Data description
Harmonised data on accidents at work are based on the methodology of the 'European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW)'.
An accident at work is defined as 'a discrete occurrence in the course of work which leads to physical or mental harm'. The data include only fatal and non-fatal accidents involving more than 3 calendar days of absence from work. If the accident does not lead to the death of the victim it is called a 'non-fatal' (or 'serious') accident.
A fatal accident at work is defined as an accident that leads to the death of a victim within one year of the accident.
The variables collected on accidents at work include:
Economic activity of the employer and size of the enterprise
Employment status, occupation, age, sex, and nationality of the victim
Geographical location, date, and time of the accident
Type of injury, body part injured, and the severity of the accident (number of full calendar days during which the victim is unfit for work excluding the day of the accident, permanent incapacity or death within one year of the accident).
Variables on causes and circumstances of the accident: workstation, working environment, working process, specific physical activity, material agent of the specific physical activity, deviation and material agent of deviation, contact - mode of injury and material agent of contact - mode of injury.
The data is presented in the form of numbers, percentages, incidence rates and standardised incidence rates of non-fatal and fatal accidents at work.
Numbers correspond to a simple count of all non-fatal and fatal accidents for the entirety or certain breakdowns of the data;
Percentages represent shares of breakdowns;
The incidence rate of non-fatal or fatal accidents at work is the number of serious or fatal accidents per 100,000 persons in employment;
The standardised incidence rates of non-fatal or fatal accidents at work aim to eliminate differences in the structures of countries' economies (see section 20.6 Adjustment for more details).
The incidence rate indicates the relative importance of non-fatal or fatal accidents at work in the working population. For both types of accidents at work the numerator is the number of accidents that occurred during the year. The denominator is the reference population (i.e. the number of persons in employment) expressed in 100,000 persons.
The reference population (or number of persons in employment) related to the national ESAW reporting system is provided by the Member States, either from administrative sources related to accidents at work or from the EU Labour Force Survey (LFS). National data on accidents at work are compiled in line with the ESAW methodology. Variables collected cover all variables of Phase 1 and 2 and four variables which are part of the Phase 3 list, namely, working environment, deviation, contact mode of injury and material agent of deviation.
Accidents at work are collected by two separate entities. Non-fatal accidents claims are collected by the Department of Social Security. Claims are made irrespective of length of absence from work. The Occupational Health and Safety Authority provides data on fatal accidents.
3.2. Classification system
The following classifications are used in ESAW:
NACE Rev. 2: 2nd revision of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community managed by Eurostat. For ESAW data NACE Rev. 2 is used from reference year 2008 onwards; ISCO-08: International Standard Classification of Occupations managed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) (revision of 2008). ISCO-08 should be used from reference year 2011 onwards; NUTS 2013: Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics. The current NUTS 2013 classification is valid from 1 January 2015, though many datasets will still include other NUTS versions. ICSE-93: International Classification by Status in Employment (revision of 1993)
For full details on these classifications, please refer to the classifications tab in NSO Metadata (gov.mt)
3.3.2. Additional comments on coverage of Economic sectors (NACE Rev.2)
NACE sectors 49.2 and 49.3 are represented in the data, but NACE sectors 49.1 and 49.2 cannot be covered as there is no railway transport in Malta.
Note: Since Malta has a compulsory universal national insurance scheme, embodied in the Social Security Act (Chapter 318 of the Laws of Malta), all economic activities (with the above exceptions) are covered by law.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
National information on accidents at work cover any claim for an injury benefit irrespective of the number of days of absence.
When providing data at EU level, only accidents resulting in more than three days' of absence are disseminated.
3.4.1. Coverage of ESAW variables – annual update expected
Please check Annex 1 - Table 3.4.1
3.4.2. Coverage of ESAW variables - day lost- annual update expected
National information on accidents at work cover any claim for an injury benefit irrespective of the number of days of absence.
When providing data at EU level, only accidents resulting in more than three days' of absence are disseminated.
Please check Annex 1 - Table 3.4.2
3.4.3. Coverage of ESAW variables- weight - annual update expected
Please check Annex 1 - Table 3.4.3
3.4.4. Additional comments on coverage of ESAW variables
no further comments
3.5. Statistical unit
Data is recorded for each accident, hence the same person may result to be in the dataset for more than once if s/he has more than one accident during the reference year.
3.6. Statistical population
In principle, all accidents at work should be covered which fulfills the definition of '3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions.
In terms of employment types covered, Member States are required to report on 'employees'. The other employment types (self-employed, family members, students, and others) are voluntary.
In addition to NACE sector O (see section 3.3. Coverage – sector), some professions (occupations) are also subject to national confidentiality rules and delivered on a voluntary basis as mentioned in annex II of the ESAW implementing Regulation 349/2011:
For ISCO – 08:
0 Armed forces occupations;
3351 Customs and border inspectors;
3355 Police inspectors and detectives;
541 Protective Services workers.
a. 5411 Fire-fighters b. 5412 Police officers c. 5413 Prison guards d. 5414 Security guards e. 5419 Protective services workers not elsewhere classified
3.6.1. Coverage of Employment status - annual update expected
Please check Annex 1 - Table 3.6.1
3.6.2. Additional comments on coverage of professional status
Students that are placed in employment on a recognised apprenticeship scheme are covered by the Injury Benefit administrative record as they pay the statutory national insurance contribution.
3.6.3. Coverage of Accidents outside premises - annual update expected
3.6.5. Additional comments on coverage of accidents outside premises
No further comments
3.7. Reference area
Data is available for Malta(MT001) and Gozo(MT002) according to NUTS 3 classification.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data is available from 2008.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
The following measurement units are used in ESAW data:
Number of accidents
Percentages of accidents (in relation to different totals and breakdowns)
Incidence rates of accidents: number of accidents per 100,000 workers
The calendar year during which the accidents were reported to have taken place (reference year).
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Our Office is bound by the Malta Statistics Act which gives the authority to collect such data from the relevant administrative sources.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
A internal policy on anonymisation and pseudo-anonymisation is in place to ascertain that adequate methods are used for the protection of data which the office collects and shares with the public in its capacity as the National Statistics Office. The policy is meant to safeguard confidentiality of both personal and business data entrusted to the NSO. The document provides guidance for all NSO employees who process data on a daily basis as to how anonymisation and pseudo-anonymisation methods should be applied. The policy applies to all confidential, restricted and internal information, regardless of form (paper or electronic documents, applications and databases) that is received, processed, stored and disseminated by the NSO.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
No data treatment on ESAW related statistics takes place when transmitting information.
8.1. Release calendar
At a national level, data on accidents at work is published bi-annually together with a revision of the reference quarters in the previous year.
Up to reference year 2023, a news release on fatalities was issued biennially (the total number of fatalities is also included in the bi-annual Accidents at Work release). Since 2024, information on fatalities has been included in the Accidents at Work release.
The Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (ESS QAF) identifies possible activities, methods and tools that can provide guidance and evidence for the implementation of the Code of Practice when developing, producing and disseminating European statistics.
Eurostat organises about each year a Working Group on European Statistics on Accidents at Work, in which statistics and its metadata are presented. In particular, various quality issues such as data coverage and reporting levels and related improvements are discussed.
Data validation measures are described in concept 3.4 data validation.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
In general, Eurostat aims to continuously improve the quality of ESAW data together with Member States.
ESAW is an administrative data collection which provides information on accidents at work as they are reported by employers in Member States to relevant national state authorities.
The type of data transmitted to Eurostat as well as its timing and other aspects follow strict rules (see section 6. 'Institutional mandate'). Eurostat together with Member States systematically checks and validate data transmissions according to the following legal acts and further guidelines:
Member States fulfill their obligations in relation to these legal acts and guidelines. This includes all classification systems. Exceptions are mentioned in the other concepts of this file (including 19. Comments).
However, the data sources in Member States are to some degree heterogeneous. For example, in some Member States accidents are reported in the framework of accident insurance whereas in other Member States universal social security system apply in case of accidents. This issue is covered in section 6. on Accuracy and reliability of this file.
A particular challenge of ESAW data are the issues of (i) under-reporting of non-fatal accidents in some Member States, (ii) differences in the coverage of self-employed, family workers, and other non-employee workers (voluntary data), and (iii) accuracy of reference populations (number of employed persons in economic sectors) and incidence rates (reference populations are the denominators of incidence rates). These issues are currently worked on but are not likely to be solved completely in the short term.
According to the ESAW implementing Regulation No 349/2011, only three out of nine phase III variables need to be reported to Eurostat. Although many Member States report on more than three phase III variables, the average coverage of phase III variables across all Member States and all variables is currently about 50% only.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
At a national level there has never been a user survey concerning this domain.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
All variables requested are provided.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
All variables pertaining to Phase 1 and 2 are covered by the national data collection. In terms of Phase 3, three variables are available and disseminated at EU level.
12.3.1.1. Global reporting level of Economic sectors (NACE Rev.2) - annual update expected
Please check Annex 1 - Table 3.3.1
12.3.1.2. Additional comments on global reporting level
12.3.1.4. Additional comments on reporting levels by Economic sector (NACE Rev.2)
No additional comments
13.1. Accuracy - overall
No additional information to the metadata on EU level available. Information corresponds to the EU metadata.
13.2. Sampling error
There is no sampling involved in the national ESAW data collection.
Hence the issue of sampling error is not relevant.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Information about the coverage of variables, economic sectors, employment types and occupations can be found in this metadata.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not available.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable.
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not available.
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data is normally passed to NSI in the second week following the reference period.
At a national level, this information is disseminated usually from 3 to 5 weeks after the last day of the reference period.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
3 to 5 weeks
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Data for year t is finalised by the second quarter of the following year.
14.2. Punctuality
Data is transmitted within the deadline
At a national level information is delivered 100% on time whilst a revision of yearly results to the corresponding past year is published in Q1 of every year.
Such revisions to results are necessary given that some benefit claims submissions to the Department of Social Security are late.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Deadlines are always met for dissemination.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
All data is comparable.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable
15.2. Comparability - over time
Data is comparable from 2008 onwards
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Data is comparable from 2008 onwards
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Cross domain comparability is not possible since despite the fact that the national LFS has informtion on accidents at work through ad hoc modules, the results from this survey tend to be based on very low sample counts.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable
15.4. Coherence - internal
Data is coherent from 2008 onwards.
Not Available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Not applicable.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not applicable.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
In Malta, an Injury Benefit may be awarded to a person registered under the Social Security Act who suffers a personal injury caused by an accident arising out of, or in the course of, his employment or self-occupation. This benefit is only granted for employment where Social Security contributions are paid. Data is collected via claim forms filled in by claimants for injury benefits.
Harmonised data on accidents at work are based on the methodology of the 'European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW)'.
An accident at work is defined as 'a discrete occurrence in the course of work which leads to physical or mental harm'. The data include only fatal and non-fatal accidents involving more than 3 calendar days of absence from work. If the accident does not lead to the death of the victim it is called a 'non-fatal' (or 'serious') accident.
A fatal accident at work is defined as an accident that leads to the death of a victim within one year of the accident.
The variables collected on accidents at work include:
Economic activity of the employer and size of the enterprise
Employment status, occupation, age, sex, and nationality of the victim
Geographical location, date, and time of the accident
Type of injury, body part injured, and the severity of the accident (number of full calendar days during which the victim is unfit for work excluding the day of the accident, permanent incapacity or death within one year of the accident).
Variables on causes and circumstances of the accident: workstation, working environment, working process, specific physical activity, material agent of the specific physical activity, deviation and material agent of deviation, contact - mode of injury and material agent of contact - mode of injury.
The data is presented in the form of numbers, percentages, incidence rates and standardised incidence rates of non-fatal and fatal accidents at work.
Numbers correspond to a simple count of all non-fatal and fatal accidents for the entirety or certain breakdowns of the data;
Percentages represent shares of breakdowns;
The incidence rate of non-fatal or fatal accidents at work is the number of serious or fatal accidents per 100,000 persons in employment;
The standardised incidence rates of non-fatal or fatal accidents at work aim to eliminate differences in the structures of countries' economies (see section 20.6 Adjustment for more details).
The incidence rate indicates the relative importance of non-fatal or fatal accidents at work in the working population. For both types of accidents at work the numerator is the number of accidents that occurred during the year. The denominator is the reference population (i.e. the number of persons in employment) expressed in 100,000 persons.
The reference population (or number of persons in employment) related to the national ESAW reporting system is provided by the Member States, either from administrative sources related to accidents at work or from the EU Labour Force Survey (LFS). National data on accidents at work are compiled in line with the ESAW methodology. Variables collected cover all variables of Phase 1 and 2 and four variables which are part of the Phase 3 list, namely, working environment, deviation, contact mode of injury and material agent of deviation.
Accidents at work are collected by two separate entities. Non-fatal accidents claims are collected by the Department of Social Security. Claims are made irrespective of length of absence from work. The Occupational Health and Safety Authority provides data on fatal accidents.
7 July 2025
National information on accidents at work cover any claim for an injury benefit irrespective of the number of days of absence.
When providing data at EU level, only accidents resulting in more than three days' of absence are disseminated.
Data is recorded for each accident, hence the same person may result to be in the dataset for more than once if s/he has more than one accident during the reference year.
In principle, all accidents at work should be covered which fulfills the definition of '3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions.
In terms of employment types covered, Member States are required to report on 'employees'. The other employment types (self-employed, family members, students, and others) are voluntary.
In addition to NACE sector O (see section 3.3. Coverage – sector), some professions (occupations) are also subject to national confidentiality rules and delivered on a voluntary basis as mentioned in annex II of the ESAW implementing Regulation 349/2011:
For ISCO – 08:
0 Armed forces occupations;
3351 Customs and border inspectors;
3355 Police inspectors and detectives;
541 Protective Services workers.
a. 5411 Fire-fighters b. 5412 Police officers c. 5413 Prison guards d. 5414 Security guards e. 5419 Protective services workers not elsewhere classified
Data is available for Malta(MT001) and Gozo(MT002) according to NUTS 3 classification.
The calendar year during which the accidents were reported to have taken place (reference year).
No additional information to the metadata on EU level available. Information corresponds to the EU metadata.
The following measurement units are used in ESAW data:
Number of accidents
Percentages of accidents (in relation to different totals and breakdowns)
Incidence rates of accidents: number of accidents per 100,000 workers
Not available
In Malta, an Injury Benefit may be awarded to a person registered under the Social Security Act who suffers a personal injury caused by an accident arising out of, or in the course of, his employment or self-occupation. This benefit is only granted for employment where Social Security contributions are paid. Data is collected via claim forms filled in by claimants for injury benefits.
