e-stats service No. 157/2003 24 October 2003 Time of release: 11.00 hrs LABOUR STATISTICS Accidents at Work: July - September 2003 This quarterly news release looks into the accidents at work that were reported to the Department of Social Security in the period between July and September 2003 for the purpose of obtaining injury benefits. An account of the fatal accidents at work that occurred in the same period is also given. The data for the summer months indicate a decrease of 8.8 per cent in non-fatal accidents at work in comparison to the same quarter a year ago. Accordingly, there were 1,293 accidents at work this summer. Of these, 89.4 per cent affected men, while the remaining 10.6 per cent involved women. Half of the non-fatal accidents at work taking place in the summer months occurred in the manufacturing and construction sectors. As a result, 37.2 per cent of the accidents affected workers employed in manufacturing concerns which include the shipyards. Accidents in the construction sector amounted to 14.0 per cent of all the accidents in the quarter under review. To a large extent, accidents at work involve workers in elementary occupations and craftsmen. Accordingly, 51.5 per cent of the accidents at work which occurred in the last quarter affected workers in elementary occupations. Accidents among craftsmen and related trades workers amounted to 22.7 per cent of all the accidents reported in the summer months. Generally, accidents at work tend to affect workers across the various age groups. However, the age bracket which is more affected by accidents is that between 25 and 34 years of age. Workers involved in accidents at work are more likely to suffer either head injuries or injuries in the upper and lower extremities of their body. The upper extremity of the body, which by far is the most affected part of the body, includes shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, and wrists. Usually, the type of injuries in accidents at work are either wounds and superficial injuries or dislocations, sprains and strains. Most of the accidents at work in July to September 2003 occurred in localities in the South Harbour and the Northern Harbour Districts. These environs give space for several industrial estates and the shipyards. Many accidents at work occur in large enterprises. Accordingly, almost a third of the accidents which occurred in the summer quarter are found to have taken place in large enterprises. Generally, the victims of accidents at work are full-time employees, but there are also a few who are either self-employed persons or part-time employees. Fatal Accidents at Work The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) reported 4 cases of fatal accidents at work which occurred in the summer months. These fatal accidents involved 4 men working in construction works. Table 1. Accidents at work by sex of victim Sex Number % Number % 1,277 90.1 1,156 89.4 141 9.9 137 10.6 1,418 100.0 1,293 100.0 Kindly indicate source when quoting from this release National Statistics Office Library & Information Unit Lascaris, Valletta CMR 02, Malta Tel:(+356) 21239225 Fax: (+356) 21249841 e-mail: nso@magnet.mt http://www.nso.gov.mt
Table 2. Accidents at work by economic activity of enterprise Economic Activity Agriculture, Hunting and Forestry 11 0.9 2 1.4 13 0.9 20 1.7 0 0.0 20 1.5 Fishing 2 0.2 0 0.0 2 0.2 5 0.4 0 0.0 5 0.4 Mining and Quarrying 9 0.7 0 0.0 9 0.6 3 0.3 1 0.7 4 0.3 Manufacturing 391 30.6 44 31.2 435 30.7 438 37.9 43 31.4 481 37.2 Electricity, Gas and Water Supply 40 3.1 0 0.0 40 2.8 43 3.7 6 4.4 49 3.8 Construction 140 11.0 3 2.1 143 10.1 138 11.9 43 31.4 181 14.0 Wholesale and Retail Trade 54 4.2 5 3.6 59 4.2 97 8.4 5 3.7 102 7.9 Hotels and Restaurants 78 6.1 16 11.4 94 6.6 133 11.5 0 0.0 133 10.3 Transport, storage and Communication 109 8.5 9 6.4 118 8.3 103 8.9 4 2.9 107 8.3 Financial Intermediation 2 0.2 0 0.0 2 0.2 4 0.4 1 0.7 5 0.4 Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities 23 1.8 4 2.8 27 1.9 32 2.8 15 11.0 47 3.6 Public Administration and Defense 52 4.1 6 4.3 58 4.1 111 9.6 6 4.4 117 9.0 Education 41 3.2 26 18.4 67 4.7 7 0.6 1 0.7 8 0.6 Health and Social Work 3 0.2 3 2.1 6 0.4 7 0.6 3 2.2 10 0.8 Other Community, Social and Personal Service Activities 15 1.2 1 0.7 16 1.1 5 0.4 8 5.8 13 1.0 Economic Activity Unknown 307 24.0 22 15.6 329 23.2 10 0.9 1 0.7 11 0.9 1,277 100.0 141 100.0 1,418 100.0 1,156 100.0 137 100.0 1,293 100.0 2
Table 3. Accidents at work by occupation of victim Occupations Legislators, senior officials and managers 9 0.7 0 0.0 9 0.6 22 1.9 0 0.0 22 1.7 Professionals 15 1.2 6 4.3 21 1.5 39 3.4 19 13.9 58 4.5 Technicians and associate professionals 62 4.9 20 14.2 82 5.8 21 1.8 1 0.7 22 1.7 Clerks 30 2.3 11 7.8 41 2.9 22 1.9 6 4.4 28 2.1 Service workers and shop and market sales workers 73 5.7 7 5.0 80 5.6 90 7.8 16 11.7 106 8.2 Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 3 0.2 0 0.0 3 0.2 14 1.2 0 0.0 14 1.1 Craft and related trades workers 244 19.1 3 2.1 247 17.4 291 25.2 2 1.4 293 22.7 Plant and machine operators and assemblers 56 4.4 3 2.1 59 4.2 67 5.8 17 12.4 84 6.5 Elementary occupations 785 61.5 91 64.5 876 61.8 590 51.0 76 55.5 666 51.5 1,277 100.0 141 100.0 1,418 100.0 1,156 100.0 137 100.0 1,293 100.0 Table 4. Accidents at work by age group of victim Age groups 15-24 260 20.4 56 39.7 316 22.3 250 21.6 54 39.4 304 23.5 25-34 346 27.1 39 27.7 385 27.1 289 25.0 28 20.5 317 24.5 35-44 276 21.6 15 10.6 291 20.5 271 23.5 18 13.1 289 22.4 45-54 298 23.3 19 13.5 317 22.4 241 20.8 28 20.4 269 20.8 55+ 97 7.6 12 8.5 109 7.7 105 9.1 9 6.6 114 8.8 1,277 100.0 141 100.0 1,418 100.0 1,156 100.0 137 100.0 1,293 100.0 3
Table 5. Accidents at Work by Part of Body Injured Part of Body Head 188 14.7 11 7.8 199 14.0 Trunk 159 12.5 13 9.2 172 12.1 Upper extreme 571 44.7 77 54.6 648 45.7 Lower extreme 289 22.6 31 22.0 320 22.6 General 70 5.5 9 6.4 79 5.6 1,277 100.0 141 100.0 1,418 100.0 Table 6. Accidents at Work by Part of Body Injured Part of Body Part of Body Injured, not specified 7 0.6 0 0.0 7 0.5 Head 133 11.5 17 12.4 150 11.6 Neck, inclusive spine and vertebra in the neck 33 2.8 8 5.8 41 3.2 Back, including spine and vertebra in the back 61 5.3 9 6.6 70 5.4 Torso and Organs 68 5.9 3 2.2 71 5.5 Upper Extremities 537 46.5 62 45.3 599 46.3 Lower Extremities 280 24.2 38 27.7 318 24.6 Whole Body and Multiple Sites 31 2.7 0 0.0 31 2.4 Other Parts of Body Injured, not mentioned above 6 0.5 0 0.0 6 0.5 1,156 100.0 137 100.0 1,293 100.0 Note: Both Table 5 and 6 refer to the variable of the part of body injured in accidents. However, the classification of Table 6 is different from that of Table 5 due to ongoing adaptation to the European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW) methodology of the Eurostat. Table 7. Accidents at Work by Type of Injury Type of Injury Type of Injury Unknown 14 1.2 3 2.2 17 1.3 Wounds and Superficial Injuries 693 59.9 75 54.8 768 59.4 Bone Fractures 115 9.9 5 3.6 120 9.3 Dislocations, Sprains and Strains 233 20.2 38 27.7 271 21.0 Traumatic Amputations 12 1.0 0 0.0 12 0.9 Concussion and Internal Injuries 9 0.8 3 2.2 12 0.9 Burns, Scalds and Frostbites 58 5.0 11 8.0 69 5.3 Poisonings and Infections 2 0.2 0 0.0 2 0.2 Drowning and Asphyxiation 7 0.6 0 0.0 7 0.5 Effects of Temperature Extremes, Light and Radiation 2 0.2 0 0.0 2 0.2 Shocks 8 0.7 2 1.5 10 0.8 Other specified injuries not included under other headings 3 0.3 0 0.0 3 0.2 1,156 100.0 137 100.0 1,293 100.0 4
Table 8. Claimants for injury benefit by district of residence District South Harbour 197 15.4 18 12.8 215 15.2 South Eastern 56 4.4 4 2.8 60 4.2 Northern Harbour 604 47.3 82 58.2 686 48.4 Western 237 18.5 20 14.2 257 18.1 Northern 163 12.8 12 8.5 175 12.3 Gozo and Comino 20 1.6 5 3.5 25 1.8 1,277 100.0 141 100.0 1,418 100.0 Table 9. Accidents at work by district of enterprise District South Harbour 536 46.3 44 32.1 580 44.9 South Eastern 104 9.0 9 6.6 113 8.7 Northern Harbour 307 26.6 54 39.4 361 27.9 Western 76 6.6 11 8.0 87 6.7 Northern 109 9.4 17 12.4 126 9.8 Gozo and Comino 24 2.1 2 1.5 26 2.0 1,156 100.0 137 100.0 1,293 100.0 Table 10. Accidents at work by employment size of enterprise Employment size self-employed without employees 1-9 employees 10-49 employees 50-249 250-499 500 employees or more Unknown size No % 53 4.1 94 7.3 155 12.0 240 18.6 143 11.0 398 30.8 210 16.2 1,293 100.0 Table 11. Accidents at work by employment status of victim Employment status Self-employed Full-time employee Part-time employee No % 88 6.8 1,176 91.0 29 2.2 1,293 100.0 5