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Published: 27 November 2015

The number of accidents at work in Finland 135,000 in 2013

Close on 135,000 accidents at work occurred in Finland in 2013. Around 123,000 of these occurred to wage and salary earners and some 11,400 to self-employed persons (including farmers). The majority, or good 112,000 of all accidents at work occurred at places of work or while in work traffic, whereas slightly over 22,000 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 2013

	Total	Accidents at work	Commuting accidents
	N	N	N
Total	134 666	112 370	22 296
Less than 4 days	77 739	64 916	12 823
At least 4 days	56 892	47 432	9 460
Fatal accidents	35	22	13
Wage and salary earners	123 274	101 612	21 662
Less than 4 days	73 672	61 123	12 549
At least 4 days	49 573	40 473	9 100
Fatal accidents	29	16	13
Self-employed persons	7 075	6 441	634
Less than 4 days	3 272	2 998	274
At least 4 days	3 801	3 441	360
Fatal accidents	2	2	0
Farmers	4 317	4 317	– 1)
Less than 4 days	795	795	–
At least 4 days	3 518	3 518	–
Fatal accidents	4	4	–

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

The number of accidents at work decreased slightly in 2013. In 2012, there were 139,000 accidents at work and in 2011 the respective figure was 142,000. 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 the European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW) of Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities. 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 2013, a total of 35 persons died at the place of work or while commuting. Of these fatal accidents at work, 16 occurred to wage and salary earners, four to farmers and two to other self-employed persons. In addition, 13 fatal accidents occurred while commuting, all of them to wage and salary earners. The number of fatal accidents at work fell clearly from the year before, as in 2012 a total of 61 persons died at work or while commuting.

The victims of all fatal accidents at work included 29 wage and salary earners, four farmers and two other self-employed persons.

Source: Occupational accident statistics 2013, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Arto Miettinen 029 551 2963, Outi Stenbäck 029 551 2517, tyotapaturmat@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Updated 27.11.2015