Number of accidents at work remained almost unchanged in 2023
The number of accidents at work and frequency of workplace accidents increased slightly in 2023 compared to the previous year.
In 2023, a total of 114 500 accidents at work were recorded, of which 92 200 were accidents at workplace and 22 300 while commuting. The number of accidents at work increased by 1,8 per cent, accidents at workplace by 2,1 per cent and commuting accidents by 0,5 per cent from 2022.
Last year, the frequency of accidents at workplace was 25,9 per million hours worked. The frequency increased by 1,6 per cent from 2022, when the frequency was 25,5.
The frequency figure relates the number of accidents at the workplace to the amount of work done and describes more accurately than the number data any changes in the frequency of accidents at the workplace on the annual level.
"The number of accidents at work and the frequency of accidents at workplace changed slightly last year. The combined frequency of accidents at workplace increased slightly in all industries, and in some industries the accident situation even deteriorated clearly," says Marja Kaari from the Finnish Workers' Compensation Center.
In contrast to many other industries, the number of accidents at work and the frequency of accidents at workplace increased in the local government sector and private health and social work services last year.
Among the regions, the frequency was lowest in Ostrobothnia, 20 (2022:18), accidents at workplace per one million hours worked, and highest in Satakunta, 34 (2022:37) accidents at workplace per one million hours worked.
The differences in frequency between regions are explained, among other things, by the different economic structures of the regions and the different weather conditions prevailing in the regions, which have a particular impact accident on the move.
Number of accidents at work among self-insured self-employed persons decreased further
Last year, 5 000 accidents at work occurred among self-employed persons who had taken out voluntary insurance, of which 4 500 were accidents at workplace and 500 while commuting.
A self-employed person can take out voluntary self-employed person's insurance under the Workers' Compensation Act. Thus, only some of the self-employed persons' occupational accidents are visible in TVK's statistics.
Terms used in text
Accidents at work / occupational accident = accidents at workplace and accidents while commuting
Commuting accident = accident between the way from home to work and vice versa
Frequency of accidents at workplace = number of accidents at workplace per million hours worked. The frequency relates to the amount of work performed and the number of accidents in the workplace.
Upcoming publications on accidents at work
The Finnish Workers' Compensation Center publishes sector-specific analyses of the statistics on accidents at work for the previous year in the spring and early summer.
The estimate of the number of accidents at work for the current year will be published in September–October 2024.