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Published: 30 November 2021

Number of accidents at work 137,000 in Finland in 2019

A total of 137,000 accidents at work occurred in Finland during 2019. Of these, 126,400 occurred to wage and salary earners and 10,500 to self-employed persons (including farmers). The majority of all accidents at work, 113,100 cases, occurred at places of work or while in work traffic, whereas 23,900 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 2019

	Total	Accidents at work	Commuting accidents
	N	N	N
Total	136 937	113 075	23 862
Less than 4 days	88 377	72 943	15 434
At least 4 days	48 520	40 103	8 417
Fatal accidents at work	40	29	11
Wage and salary earners	126 391	103 156	23 235
Less than 4 days	83 232	68 174	15 058
At least 4 days	43 126	34 959	8 167
Fatal accidents at work	33	23	10
Other Self-employed persons	6 556	5 929	627
Less than 4 days	3 831	3 455	376
At least 4 days	2 721	2 471	250
Fatal accidents at work	4	3	1
Farmers	3 990	3 990	–
Less than 4 days	1 314	1 314	–
At least 4 days	2 673	2 673	–
Fatal accidents at work	3	3	–
Farmers' accidents at work and commuting accidents are not separated.

The number of accidents at work grew in 2019. Nearly 136,000 accidents at work occurred in 2018.

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 2019, a total of 40 persons died at their place of work or while commuting. Of these fatal accidents at work, 33 occurred to wage and salary earners, three to farmers and four to other self-employed persons. In addition, 11 fatal accidents took place while commuting, of which 10 occurred to wage and salary earners and one to other self-employed person. The number of fatal accidents at work was higher than in the year before, as in 2018 a total of 37 persons died at place of work or while commuting.

Of the victims of all fatal accidents at work, 33 were wage and salary earners, three farmers and four other self-employed persons.

Links

Database tables of the occupational accident statistics .

The Finnish Workers’ Compensation Center (TVK) annually releases statistics on compensated occupational accidents and occupational diseases.

The Farmers' Social Insurance Institution Mela annually releases 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 Union, Eurostat https:eu//ec.europa.eu/eurostat .

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health has since 1964 maintained the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases.

The Department for Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health maintains an accident report register.

Source: Occupational accident statistics 2019, Statistics Finland

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

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

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Updated 30.11.2021