protection helmet on the floor

In 2022, 2.97 million non-fatal work accidents resulted in workers being absent from work for 4 days or more in the EU, while 3 286 work-related accidents were fatal. Compared with 2017, there were 4.6% less accidents (-143 031).  

Manufacturing recorded the highest number of accidents in 2022, with 535 977 accidents (18.0% of the total), followed by human health and social work activities (469 764; 15.8%) and construction (364 486; 12.2%).

Among the 21 economic activities, the majority recorded fewer accidents in 2022 compared with 2017, except for human health and social work activities (+133 470 accidents), education (+15 432) and construction (+11 232). 

Looking specifically at human health and social work activities, data show that the number of accidents has increased yearly, from 336 294 in 2017 to 401 959 in 2020 and then to the highest value in 5 years, 469 764 in 2022. The only decrease was registered in 2021, with 384 721 accidents.

Severity of the accidents at work in the EU

In terms of severity (the number of full calendar days when the victim is unfit for work due to an accident at work), in 2022, the accidents that resulted in 7–13 days absence from work still represented the most frequent type of accidents, as in 2017. There were 814 390 such accidents (27.4% of the total accidents).

Accidents at work in the EU, 2017 and 2022 (by level of severity based on absence from work in absolute numbers). Bar chart. Link to full dataset below.

Source dataset: hsw_n2_04

The second-most frequent types of accidents in 2022 were accidents that resulted in 4-6 days of absence from work (558 678; 18.8% of the total number of accidents), followed by accidents that resulted in 1- 3 months of absence (531 936; 13.3%). Compared with 2017, their positions were reversed as absences of 1- 3 months occupied the 2nd place and 4- 6 days the 3rd place. 

The least frequent types of accidents by severity in 2022 were 3 286 fatal accidents (0.1% of the total number of accidents) compared with 3 272 in 2017. The second least frequent types of accidents in 2022 were those not specified (88 866; 3.0%), followed by those that resulted in permanent incapacity to work or 183 days or more of absence from work (133 090 cases; 4.5%).

This article marks the world day for safety and health at work, which takes place on 28 April.

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Methodological notes

An accident at work is defined as an occurrence during the course of work, which leads to physical or mental harm. Fatal accidents at work are those that lead to the death of the victim within 1 year of the accident taking place. Non-fatal accidents at work are defined as those that imply at least 4 full calendar days of absence from work (they are sometimes also called ‘serious accidents at work’). The number of accidents in a particular year is likely to be related to some extent to the overall level of economic activity of a country and the total number of people employed in its economy. 

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