Published: 29 November 2019
Number of accidents at work 138,000 in Finland in 2017
Over 138,000 accidents at work occurred in Finland in 2017. Of these, 126,500 occurred to wage and salary earners and 11,600 to self-employed persons (including farmers). The majority of all accidents at work, 113,000 cases, occurred at places of work or while in work traffic, whereas 25,000 accidents at work 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 2017
| Total | Accidents at work | Commuting accidents | |
| N | N | N | |
| Total | 138 146 | 113 065 | 25 081 |
| Less than 4 days | 86 693 | 70 983 | 157 10 |
| At least 4 days | 51 423 | 42 059 | 9 364 |
| Fatal accidents at work | 30 | 23 | 7 |
| Wage and salary earners | 126 503 | 102 225 | 24 278 |
| Less than 4 days | 81 195 | 65 952 | 15 243 |
| At least 4 days | 45 284 | 36 255 | 9 029 |
| Fatal accidents at work | 24 | 18 | 6 |
| Other Self-employed persons | 7 219 | 6 416 | 803 |
| Less than 4 days | 4 072 | 3 605 | 467 |
| At least 4 days | 3 143 | 2 808 | 335 |
| Fatal accidents at work | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Farmers | 4 424 | 4 424 | – |
| Less than 4 days | 1 426 | 1 426 | – |
| At least 4 days | 2 996 | 2 996 | – |
| Fatal accidents at work | 2 | 2 | – |
| Farmers' accidents at work and commuting accidents are not separated. | |||
The number of accidents at work grew clearly in 2017. In 2016, there were less than 132,000 accidents at work and in 2015 the respective figure was just over 127,000.
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 2017, a total of 30 persons died at the place of work or while commuting. Of these fatal accidents at work, 24 occurred to wage and salary earners, two to farmers and four to other self-employed persons. In addition, seven fatal accidents took place while commuting, of which six occurred to wage and salary earners and one to other self-employed persons. The number of fatal accidents at work decreased from the year before, as in 2016 a total of 46 persons died at work or while commuting.
The victims of all fatal accidents at work included 24 wage and salary earners, two farmers and four other self-employed persons.
Links
Occupational accidents tables in databases . See Changes in the database.
The Finnish Workers’ Compensation Center (TVK) annually releases its own statistics on compensated occupational accidents and occupational diseases.
The Farmers' Social Insurance Institution (Mela) issues its own statistics on farmers' occupational accidents.
You can find annual data on accidents at work in the Member States of the European Union on the home page of the Statistical Office of the European Communities, Eurostat https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat .
The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health has since 1964 maintained the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases.
Data on forest owners' and wage and salary earners' occupational accidents are available in the Statistical Yearbook of Forestry published by the Natural Resources Institute Finland .
The Department for Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health maintains an accident report register.
Source: Occupational accident statistics 2017, 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 29.11.2019
Official Statistics of Finland (OSF):
Occupational accident statistics [e-publication].
ISSN=1797-9544. 2017. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 28.12.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/ttap/2017/ttap_2017_2019-11-29_tie_001_en.html