PULSE - Europe beyond the beat

Europe

EU, the number of accidents at work falls, but attention remains high

Non-fatal accidents decrease, but the focus on high-risk sectors persists

by Davide Madeddu (Il Sole 24 Ore), Ieva Kniukštienė (Delphi, Lithuania) and Lola García-Ajofrín (El Confidencial)

29 May 2025

3' min read

Over five years, the number of non-fatal accidents decreased by 4.6 per cent. From 2017 to 2022, when there were 2.97 million non-fatal accidents (resulting in absence from work for 4 days or more), the number decreased by 143,031 cases.

The number of work-related accidents in EU countries is decreasing, but attention remains high. This is the picture drawn by Eurostat. "Manufacturing recorded the highest number of accidents in 2022, with 535,977 accidents (18.0 per cent of the total), followed by human health and social work activities (469,764; 15.8 per cent) and construction (364,486; 12.2 per cent)," it reads. "Among the 21 economic activities, most recorded fewer accidents in 2022 than in 2017, with the exception of human health and social work activities (+133,470 accidents), education (+15,432) and construction (+11,232).

In terms of severity, in 2022, accidents resulting in 7 to 13 days' absence from work were still the most frequent type (814,390 cases, or 27.4 per cent).

The Italian case

Then there is the Italian case, which is in line with the European picture. According to INAIL data, in 2024 there will be a drop in cases on the occasion of accidents at work (-1.9%), while there will be an increase in cases en route (+5.0%). The number of accident reports fell from 515,141 to 511,688, a decrease of 0.7%. The reduction mainly affected Industry and Services (-2.0%) and Agriculture (-1.8%).

Among the sectors, accidents decreased in manufacturing (-4.7%), health and social work (-11.7%), while they increased in construction (+2.8%), trade (+3.9%), catering and accommodation (+2.8%), transport and storage (+2.5%) and education (following the extension of protection to teachers).

Other European countries

In Lithuania, preliminary figures for 2024 estimate 19 fatal and 120 serious accidents. In 2023 it was 20 and 112 respectively. However, attention remains high after peaks in summer and October. Two outbreaks occurred in June-July, with 4 deaths and 18 serious accidents; in October, there were 3 deaths per week

In Spain, 647,495 accidents involving absence from work were recorded in 2023, of which 558,936 occurred during working hours. There were 616 fatalities, down from 711 in 2022. According to the UGT union, accidents had been on the rise since 2019, but the 2021 labour reform, which reduced precarious work, may have contributed to the decline. The most affected sector remains construction, followed by accidents due to physical strain, collisions with stationary or moving objects

In France, the number of accidents in 2023 is 15% lower than pre-pandemic levels. After a 12% increase between 2020 and 2021, there was a 1.5% decrease between 2022 and 2023, but occupational illnesses rose by 7%. The most affected sectors are health care, car/motorcycle repair and administrative services. Half of all accidents are due to handling objects, falls from heights and the use of heavy machinery. The government has launched a multi-year campaign that will end in 2025, with the aim of strengthening prevention and awareness

In Greece, 146 fatal accidents were recorded in 2024. However, according to OSEETEE, about three quarters of the fatalities escape official statistics, undermining the mapping of the phenomenon. Agriculture is the sector with the most fatalities (36 in 2024), followed by construction, utilities, shipbuilding and tourism. The country does not officially register occupational diseases, a unique shortcoming in the EU. Eurostat has opened an investigation into the quality of Greek data

The trade unions' appeal

Drawing attention to the issue, calling for more training and controls, are the trade unions. The request is unequivocal at European level: more prevention, more supervision and, above all, more transparency in data to really protect those who work.

*This article is part of the European collaborative journalism project "Pulse".