Small dip in deaths, injuries at the workplace
Report: Most fatalities in construction sector; big drop in occupational diseases
ST, Published on Sep 06, 2013
ST, Published on Sep 06, 2013
By Janice Heng
THERE
were slight falls in the number of workplace deaths and injuries in the
first six months of this year compared with the same period last year,
new figures reveal.
There were 25 workplace deaths from January to June, down from 26 in that period last year, according to a report released yesterday by the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Institute.
The high-risk construction sector continued to account for the most deaths. Eleven workers there lost their lives, up from nine in the first half of last year. Most workplace deaths were due to falls or victims being hit by moving vehicles or machinery.
The number of minor injuries at work fell to 5,029 from 5,160 previously.
But there were 257 major injuries, two more than in the first half of last year.
The construction sector remained the main contributor, though it saw fewer major injuries compared with a year ago.
Overall, the injury rate fell to 194 injuries for every 100,000 workers, down from 207 per every 100,000 previously.
The biggest drop shown in the new figures was in occupational diseases, which almost halved compared with last year's numbers.
In the first half of this year, 372 cases were confirmed, down from 634 in the first half of last year.
Most of the drop was due to fewer noise-induced deafness cases. There were 325 cases, down from 570 in the first half of last year.
Most of these were diagnosed at an early stage, with only 14 workers having severe hearing loss.
A WSH Institute spokesman noted, however, that the number of noise-induced deafness cases has fluctuated over the last six years.
As occupational diseases develop over time, the number of cases recorded each year depends on how many are detected and diagnosed.
Such fluctuations are expected and it is more reliable to look at long-term trends instead, he added.
For the first time, the half-yearly statistics report also included work-related traffic deaths, which are separate from workplace deaths.
There were nine such deaths in the first six months of the year. Four involved large goods vehicles such as lorries and trucks, four involved motorcycles, and the last involved a car.
Currently, firms do not have to report work-related traffic accidents or injuries. But from next year, the law will be changed. These figures will be included in future reports.
The WSH Institute said that this "will allow employers to gain a better understanding of where fatal traffic injuries are occurring and therefore take measures to prevent similar accidents".
~
There were 25 workplace deaths from January to June, down from 26 in that period last year, according to a report released yesterday by the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Institute.
The high-risk construction sector continued to account for the most deaths. Eleven workers there lost their lives, up from nine in the first half of last year. Most workplace deaths were due to falls or victims being hit by moving vehicles or machinery.
The number of minor injuries at work fell to 5,029 from 5,160 previously.
But there were 257 major injuries, two more than in the first half of last year.
The construction sector remained the main contributor, though it saw fewer major injuries compared with a year ago.
Overall, the injury rate fell to 194 injuries for every 100,000 workers, down from 207 per every 100,000 previously.
The biggest drop shown in the new figures was in occupational diseases, which almost halved compared with last year's numbers.
In the first half of this year, 372 cases were confirmed, down from 634 in the first half of last year.
Most of the drop was due to fewer noise-induced deafness cases. There were 325 cases, down from 570 in the first half of last year.
Most of these were diagnosed at an early stage, with only 14 workers having severe hearing loss.
A WSH Institute spokesman noted, however, that the number of noise-induced deafness cases has fluctuated over the last six years.
As occupational diseases develop over time, the number of cases recorded each year depends on how many are detected and diagnosed.
Such fluctuations are expected and it is more reliable to look at long-term trends instead, he added.
For the first time, the half-yearly statistics report also included work-related traffic deaths, which are separate from workplace deaths.
There were nine such deaths in the first six months of the year. Four involved large goods vehicles such as lorries and trucks, four involved motorcycles, and the last involved a car.
Currently, firms do not have to report work-related traffic accidents or injuries. But from next year, the law will be changed. These figures will be included in future reports.
The WSH Institute said that this "will allow employers to gain a better understanding of where fatal traffic injuries are occurring and therefore take measures to prevent similar accidents".
~
Background story
In the first half of the year...
2012: 26
2012: 255
2012: 5,160
2012: 634
- WORKPLACE DEATHS
2012: 26
- MAJOR WORKPLACE INJURIES
2012: 255
- MINOR WORKPLACE INJURIES
2012: 5,160
- OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
2012: 634
- WORK-RELATED TRAFFIC DEATHS
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