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Number of occupational accidents and accident rate in 2022Need help related to this topic?
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Is Poland successfully reducing the number of accidents at work? The latest data from the Central Statistical Office for 2022 shed light on the current situation and the downward trend in accident rates.
According to the Central Statistical Office, the number of people injured in accidents at work in 2022 was 66,606, which is 3.2% fewer people than in 2021. The accident rate has also declined (in 2021 it was 5.10, and now it is 4.66), which determines how many people injured in accidents at work per 1,000 workers. So let's find out if the downward trend has been going on for a long time, and what can be done to further lower the occupational accident statistics.
The total number of people who suffered an accident at work in 2022 is 66,606, bearing in mind that these are only reported incidents. The highest number of accidents was reported in sectors such as:
The accident rate, however, looks quite different, and here sectors such as:
The number of people injured in accidents at work per 1,000 employees was highest in the Silesian (5.89), Warmian-Masurian (5.86) and West Pomeranian (5.71) provinces.
According to the CSO, in 2022, 180 people died as a result of an accident at work (death occurred on the spot or within 6 months of the accident), while 369 people suffered serious injuries. The statistics also refer to employee absenteeism due to a work accident. The number of days of inability to work was as follows: the largest number of employees (17,466) were on sick leave from 31 to 90 days, while 9,612 employees were on the longest sick leave (from 91 to 182 days).
For the most part, accidents at work were most often caused by inappropriate behavior of employees. The largest number of people were injured by collision with a stationary object (21,380) and by being struck by an object in motion (13,376). The activity most often performed during an accident was a worker moving (25,402). Accidents at work most often resulted in injury to the upper and lower extremities. The most commonly reported type of injury was superficial wounds, dislocations, sprains and strains, as well as broken bones.
| Year | Accident rate | Number of victims in total accidents at work | Number of injured in fatal accidents | Number of injured in severe accidents* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,66 | 66 606 | 180 | 369 |
| 2021 | 5,10 | 68 777 | 219 | 375 |
| 2020 | 4,54 | 62 740 | 190 | 378 |
| 2019 | 6,06 | 83 205 | 184 | 396 |
| 2018 | 6,30 | 84 304 | 211 | 527 |
| 2017 | 6,80 | 88 330 | 270 | 671 |
| 2016 | 7,07 | 87 886 | 243 | 467 |
| 2015 | 7,24 | 87 622 | 303 | 495 |
| 2014 | 7,45 | 88 641 | 263 | 530 |
| 2013 | 7,54 | 88 267 | 277 | 538 |
*Refers to accidents involving severe health damage, such as loss of sight or hearing, infertility, serious bodily injury, terminal illness, mental illness, disfigurement, total or substantial incapacity.
The main cause of accidents at work is improper behavior of the employee. Hence, it is very important to carry out periodic employee training on occupational health and safety, as well as ad hoc training resulting, for example, from a change of job. The entrepreneur is also obliged to comply with occupational health and safety regulations in accordance with his business. This includes providing appropriate work clothing and personal protective equipment (helmets, gloves, pads, earmuffs).
Another important issue is the proper organization of work, as many accidents occur due to the rush or chaos of increased traffic of vehicles and workers on foot. Therefore, the company should ensure that traffic and transportation routes, as well as potentially dangerous places, are properly marked. Instead of traditional marking methods (paint, tape, warning signs), it is worth implementing modern systems that ensure the durability and high effectiveness of markings. Examples of such systems include a virtual laser line and an OH&S sign projector.
The largest number of people injured in accidents at work is recorded in the industrial processing industry. Accidents most often involve a collision with a stationary obstacle or an object in motion (i.e. a forklift, for example). Therefore, it is important for manufacturing plants to implement smart technologies that prevent collisions involving vehicles and pedestrian workers. These include the IPAS pedestrian and forklift warning system, the RVM&UPD monitoring and collision avoidance system, the Cy.Guard anti-collision system or IVIEW+. These solutions are worth implementing not only in manufacturing plants, but also in other places with increased vehicle traffic, such as warehouses, cold stores or construction sites.
The number of people injured in accidents at work is decreasing, as is the percentage of people who suffer death or serious injury as a result of an accident. Quite a breakthrough in this regard was the year 2020, which saw as many as 24.6% fewer people injured than in 2019. Nonetheless, safety issues at the workplace should not be underestimated, because, as statistics show, they often have their consequences in the form of long-term employee absenteeism (more than 30 days). Such a condition can lead to downtime and financial losses for the company.