Factors explaining rise in occupational accidents

The number of reported occupational accidents in Denmark increased for the third consecutive year in 2006. This development cannot be explained by administrative conditions or changes in the Danish employment situation but reflects an actual increase in occupational accidents. In particular, more accidents occurred among newly appointed workers, those aged 18 to 24 years and over 44 years, and women. Five economic sectors account for about half of the increase.

After the number of reported occupational accidents rose for the third consecutive year in 2006 (DK0710019I), the Danish Minister of Employment, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, asked the Danish Working Environment Authority (Arbejdstilsynet, AT) to examine the underlying causes of this development. The resulting report is entitled Analysis of the rise in reported occupational accidents 2003–2006 (in Danish, 292Kb PDF).

The study was carried out on the basis of existing data from AT’s register and also from the register of the National Institute of Public Health (Statens Institut for Folkesundhed, SIF) concerning emergency room applications. These data outline trends in the number of occupational accidents. The analysis investigated whether the increased number of work-related accidents – including fatal, serious and other occupational accidents – is due to administrative reasons, the frequency of reported accidents, developments in the employment situation in Denmark or changes in the pattern of accidents at the workplace.

Study findings

Changes in reporting and frequency of accidents

Since 2003, companies have been able to electronically report occupational accidents to AT and insurance companies. Also in that year, the list of accident types approved as occupational accidents was expanded, for example by including accidents due to heavy lifting. It has therefore been assumed that these changes had an influence on the reported increase in occupational accidents. However, the AT analysis found that the rise could be explained neither by administrative conditions nor by the amended list of approved accidents, which led to a greater frequency of reporting. This finding has been reached by examining whether significant developments in the number of reported accidents could be measured.

Developments in Danish employment situation

The study also investigated general factors such as the number of employees and the number of hours worked, due to the fact that more people have entered the labour market and people tend to work longer hours. However, these factors were not found to be a decisive cause of the increase in occupational accidents, as the National Research Centre for the Working Environment (Nationale Forskningscenter for Arbejdsmiljø, NFA) has been correcting the number of accidents according to developments in the employment situation based on criteria such as gender, sector and number of hours worked.

AT found that newly appointed persons, meaning those who have been employed in a company for less than a year, were over-represented among those involved in occupational accidents. Between 2003 and 2006, the proportion of reported accidents among newly recruited workers rose from 23% to 31%. The rise in reported accidents should be seen in the context of the increased number of persons employed and the wider opportunities for changing jobs, which may lead to a greater number of accidents as most accidents occur among newly appointed workers.

Changes in pattern of occupational accidents

The study also analysed changes in the pattern of occupational accidents in order to identify areas where the number of occupational accidents increased the most. Overall, the number of reported accidents rose from 42,140 cases in 2003 to 48,774 in 2006, representing a 16% increment. If this total is adjusted according to the greater number of persons employed, approximately 14 accidents per 1,000 employees occurred in 2003. This increased to 18 accidents per 1,000 employees in 2006.

The total number of work-related accidents in 2006 corresponds to the level in 1999–2000. The general increase in all reported accidents between 2003 and 2006 can be characterised under the following headings.

Gender and age

The incidence for women rose by 20% whereas the increase amounted to 13% for men. However, 60% of all work-related accidents involve men.

All age groups experienced an increase in occupational accidents but this was particularly apparent among workers aged 18–24 years and those over 44 years (see figure). The occurrence of accidents compared with the overall number of employees is highest among workers aged 18–24 years, followed by those aged 25–29 and 40–49. Employees aged between 18 and 24 years accounted for 11% of reported occupational accidents in 2006.

Increase in incidence of occupational accidents, by age group (%)

Source: AT, 2008

Type of occupational accident

The share of serious accidents, such as amputation, fracture or injuries on substantial parts of the body, has not changed substantially. Acute overload is the most frequent cause of injury, followed by slipping or bumping into something; the number of accidents has increased in this regard.

Economic sector

Some 41 out of 49 sectors of economic activity have registered an increase in the incidence of occupational accidents. Most work-related accidents per 10,000 employees were seen in areas such as the processing of meat and meat products, shipbuilding and fire service activities. Nonetheless, in the processing of meat and meat products industry, the incidence rate declined by 24% between 2003 and 2006. Overall, five fields of economic activity account for half of the general rise: home care and residential nursing for adults; freight transport, refuse collection and postal services; construction contracting, demolition and earth moving; wholesale trade; and bricklaying and joinery.

Fatal accidents

When the number of fatal accidents reported between 2001 and 2006 is adjusted according to the number of persons employed, the analysis reveals that 1.6 fatal accidents occurred per 100,000 employees in 2004, while this figure stood at 2.1 in 2005 and 2006. However, these data should be interpreted with caution due to the low occurrence rates of fatal occupational accidents.

Mette Ballebye and Helle Ourø Nielsen, Oxford Research