A person sitting on the floor next to a helmet.

In 2023, there were 2.83 million non-fatal accidents at work in the EU, a 5% decrease (-148 935) from 2.98 million in 2022. 

The number of fatal work-related accidents was 3 298, accounting for 0.1% of all accidents. This was 12 fatalities more than in 2022, but 110 less than in 2013.

The information comes from the European statistics on accidents at work data collection that was released by Eurostat today. This article presents a handful of findings from a more detailed Statistics Explained article on accidents at work. 

Fatal accidents at work in the EU, 2013-2023. Bar chart - Click below to see full dataset.

Source dataset: hsw_mi_08

Across the EU, there were on average 1.63 fatalities per 100 000 employed people in 2023, compared with 1.66 fatalities in 2022. The incidence rate has remained below 2 fatalities per 100 000 workers since 2016.

Incidence rate for fatal accidents at work in the EU, 2013-2023. Bar chart - Click below to see full dataset.

Source dataset: hsw_mi_08

For more information

Methodological notes

  • An accident at work is defined as an occurrence during the course of work, which leads to physical or mental harm. Fatal accidents at work are those that lead to the death of the victim within 1 year of the accident taking place. Non-fatal accidents at work are defined as those that imply at least 4 full calendar days of absence from work (they are sometimes also called ‘serious accidents at work’). The number of accidents in a particular year is likely to be related to some extent to the overall level of economic activity of a country and the total number of people employed in its economy. 
  • The incidence rate of accidents at work per 100 000 workers is a metric used to assess the frequency of workplace accidents relative to the size of the workforce. ‘Incidence rate’ is not solely a reflection of accident numbers but also of the overall context, including workforce size and dynamics.

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