Work-related deaths, accidents down in 2011

Around 10 percent fewer work-related deaths and accidents were reported in 2011 compared to the previous year, the Labor Inspectorate said in its annual report, published on Tuesday.

According to figures published by the labor watchdog, 5,203 accidents were reported in the workplace, 70 of which proved fatal, compared to 5,721 reported in 2010 and 6,381 in 2009.

Of the 70 accidents that led to a worker’s death, 31 were defined based on medical examiners’ reports, as due to «pathological causes» and 39 were non-pathological in nature. The figure for 2010 in the latter category was 63 and for 2009, 84.

The biggest percentage of accidents (18.6 percent) occurred in the retail sector (not including the sale of cars and motorcycles), followed by construction (7.1 percent) and the food industry (5.4 percent).