Occupational accidents in Norway in 2007

The national Labour Force Survey carried out in 2007 revealed the occurrence of an estimated 90,000 occupational accidents in Norway. The survey measured the consequences of such accidents in terms of absence from work and loss of function. Significant variations between occupational groups were found, with young men and employees working shift, rotation and prolonged working hours having the highest risk of workplace accidents.

Background

Occupational accidents are estimated to constitute about 12% of the total number of accidents in Norway. Due to underreporting and skewed reporting, no complete overview exists of the occurrence of occupational accidents, and trends are thus difficult to find. However, there is no indication that the number of occupational accidents has declined in the past 10 years. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) reports between 25,000 and 30,000 occupational accidents occur annually, with 40 to 50 of these being fatal accidents. The actual number of accidents is, however, believed to be considerably higher. Even though these numbers are low compared with many other European countries, the problem is considered to be significant and a priority area for preventive measures.

About the survey

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is conducted by Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå, SSB) and is a public and independent survey carried out to provide labour market statistics. About 24,000 workers, constituting a representative sample of the population ranging from 15 to 74 years of age, are selected for interviews mapping different aspects of their working conditions. Being the main source for labour market statistics, the LFS allows for a classification of the population into categories such as employed, unemployed or persons outside the labour force (divided according to activities such as homeworking or studying). The LFS data permit a consistent and complete distribution of the population according to the different employment status categories over time. They also cover characteristics such as demographic background, educational level, occupation, sector of activity, working hours, second jobs and underemployment.

Among the range of issues examined, the LFS looks at the occurrence of occupational accidents in Norway. The main question regarding occupational accidents in the LFS is as follows: ‘During the last 12 months, have you been injured in one or more accidents at work or in connection with your work?’

Key findings

Estimated number of accidents

In the 2007 LFS, 3.1% of employees (3.7% of men and 2.4% of women) reported that they had been injured at work or in connection with their work during the previous 12 months. This corresponds to about 79,000 employees. In addition, one out of eight of these employees reported experiencing two occupational accidents during the period. Adding this, and taking into account that the proportion of workers experiencing three or more accidents is insignificant, the total number of occupational accidents in 2007 is estimated to be approximately 90,000.

When comparing this figure with the 21,572 occupational accidents reported by the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, a significant level of underreporting and skewed reporting is indicated.

Rate of absence from work

The scope of absence from work due to occupational accidents is presented in the table below. The figures show that although more than 50% of the reported occupational accidents do not result in absence from work, 30% of the accidents result in absence from work for five days or more.

Absence from work due to occupational accidents (%)

Rate of return to work after accident	%
No absence	51.3
Same day or next day	6.6
2–4 days later	12.1
5–14 days later	9.0
2–4 weeks later	5.9
1–3 months later	8.0
More than 3 months later	2.8
Still on sick leave	4.3
Total	100.0

Source: LFS, 2007

Risk according to gender and education

For men, the risk of accidents appeared to be highest for young men and lowest for older workers. Although less distinct, the same trend was also found for women.

The social gradient, measured by level of education, was not clear. Nevertheless, the risk of accidents was generally lowest for university-educated men and women. Among men, the occupational groups with the highest risk of accidents were farmers and fishermen, followed by male nurses and craftworkers. Among women, the highest risk of accidents was found for nurses, followed by machine operators and drivers.

While the type of employment was not found to be important, a significant increase in the frequency of accidents was observed for employees doing shift and rotation work. This is especially true for women in such jobs, with the risk of accidents found to be more than twice as high.

Increase in accidents with rise in working hours

Likewise, an increase in the annual risk of accidents as a result of a rising number of working hours was found, as shown in the figure below. The figure also shows that the risk of accidents almost doubled for employees working more than 55 hours a week compared with those working 40 hours a week.

Risk of accidents according to weekly working hours (%)

Commentary

From this comprehensive study, the number of occupational accidents for 2007 was estimated to be about 90,000, indicating a significant level of underreporting and skewed reporting of accidents by the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority. For more effective measures against occupational accidents, a quality improvement of existing data registers may therefore be needed.

Bjørn Tore Langeland, Department of Occupational Health Surveillance, National Institute of Occupational Health