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Published: 28 November 2014

Number of accidents at work in Finland 139,000 in 2012

A total of 139,000 accidents at work occurred in Finland during 2012. Around 128,000 of these occurred to wage and salary earners and some 11,200 to self-employed persons (including farmers). The majority, or almost 116,000 of all accidents at work occurred at places of work or while in work traffic, whereas nearly 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 2012

	Total	Accidents at work	Commuting accidents
	N	N	N
Total	139 035	116 150	22 885
Less than 4 days	78 481	65 487	12 994
At least 4 days	60 493	50 620	9 873
Fatal accidents	61	43	18
Wage and salary earners	127792	105 496	22 296
Less than 4 days	74 636	61 888	12 748
At least 4 days	53 108	43 576	9 532
Fatal accidents	48	32	16
Self-employed persons	6 689	6 100	589
Less than 4 days	2 996	2 750	246
At least 4 days	3 687	3 346	341
Fatal accidents	6	4	2
Farmers	4 554	4 554	– 1)
Less than 4 days	849	849	–
At least 4 days	3 698	3 698	–
Fatal accidents	7	7	–

1) Farmers' accidents at work and commuting accidents are not separated.

The number of accidents at work decreased slightly in 2012. In 2011, there were 142,000 accidents at work and in 2010 the respective figure was 135,000. 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 2012, a total of 61 persons died at the place of work or while commuting. Of these fatal accidents at work, 32 occurred to wage and salary earners, seven to own-account workers in agriculture (farmers) and four to other self-employed persons. In addition, 18 fatal accidents took place while commuting, of which 16 occurred to wage and salary earners and two to other self-employed persons than farmers. The number of fatal accidents at work rose clearly from the year before, as in 2011 a total of 55 persons died at work or while commuting.

The victims of all fatal accidents at work included 48 wage and salary earners, seven farmers and four other self-employed persons.

Source: Occupational accident statistics 2012, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Arto Miettinen 029 551 2963, tyotapaturmat@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 28.11.2014