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Published: 30 November 2012

The number of accidents at work in Finland 135,000 in 2010

A total of 135,000 accidents at work occurred in Finland in 2010. Around 124,000 of these occurred to wage and salary earners and some 10,900 to self-employed persons (including farmers). The majority, or almost 115,000 of all accidents at work occurred at places of work or while in work traffic, whereas around 20,000 of them occurred while commuting. These numbers also include minor accidents at work that led to disability lasting less than four days, and on which insurance companies paid compensation only for medical treatment expenses.

Number of wage and salary earners’, self-employed persons’ and farmers’ accidents at work by severity in 2010

  Total Accidents at work Commuting accidents
Total 135 009 114 95 5 20 054
Less than 4 days 73 737 62 751 10 986
At least 4 days 61 211 52 161 9 050
Fatal accidents 61 43 18
Wage and salary earners 124 063 104 513 19 550
Less than 4 days 70 272 59 509 10 763
At least 4 days 53 740 44 971 8 769
Fatal accidents 51 33 18
Self-employed persons 6 391 5 887 504
Less than 4 days 2 814 2 591 223
At least 4 days 3 573 3 292 281
Fatal accidents 4 4 –
Farmers 4 555 4 555 –
Less than 4 days 651 651 –
At least 4 days 3 898 3 898 –
Fatal accidents 6 6 –

The number of accidents at work increased slightly in 2010. In 2009, there were nearly 128,000 accidents at work and in 2008, the respective figure was just over 153,000. Wage and salary earners' accidents at work increased from 2005 to 2008, but in 2009 the total number of accidents at work fell to the level where it was ten years previously. The economic downturn in Finland in 2009 and changes in the number of hours worked explain for the main part the change. It is not meaningful to make detailed comparisons of the time series prior and subsequent to 2005 with relation to total numbers (incl. cases resulting in disability of under four days) on account of the full-cost renewal that entered into force in 2005.

Since the reference year 2005, an accident at work has been defined in Statistics Finland’s statistics on occupational accidents according to the definition used in Eurostat's (the Statistical Office of the European Communities) European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW). According to the definition, the statistics contain data on accidents at work which have resulted in "disability of at least four days". Most of the data in this online release are presented using this criterion. The time series have been revised retrospectively to correspond with the definition.

In 2010, a total of 61 persons died at the place of work or while commuting. Of the fatal accidents at work, 33 occurred to wage and salary earners, six to own-account workers in agriculture, i.e. farmers, and four to other self-employed persons. In addition, 18 fatal accidents occurred while commuting, all of them to wage and salary earners. The number of fatal accidents at work rose clearly from the year before, as in 2009 a total of 48 persons died at work or while commuting.

The victims of all fatal accidents at work included 51 wage and salary earners, six farmers and four other self-employed persons.


Source: Occupational accident statistics 2010, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Tarja Seppänen 09 1734 3220, tyotapaturmat@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 30.11.2012

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Occupational accident statistics [e-publication].
ISSN=1797-9544. 2010. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 19.4.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/ttap/2010/ttap_2010_2012-11-30_tie_001_en.html