Quick guide

on sources
and uses of
statistics on
occupational
safety and
health
Copyright © International Labour Organization 2020
First published 2020

Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright
Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that
the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to ILO Publications
(Rights and Licensing), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, or by email:
[email protected]. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications.
Libraries, institutions and other users registered with a reproduction rights organization may make copies in
accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. Visit www.ifrro.org to find the reproduction rights
organization in your country.

ISBN: 978-92-2-033702-8 (web pdf)

The designations employed in ILO publications, which are in conformity with United Nations practice, and the
presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the
International Labour Office concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or
concerning the delimitation of its frontiers.
The responsibility for opinions expressed in signed articles, studies and other contributions rests solely with
their authors, and publication does not constitute an endorsement by the International Labour Office of the
opinions expressed in them.
Reference to names of firms and commercial products and processes does not imply their endorsement by the
International Labour Office, and any failure to mention a particular firm, commercial product or process is not a
sign of disapproval.

Information on ILO publications and digital products can be found at: www.ilo.org/publns.

Printed in Switzerland
  Quick Guide on sources and uses of statistics on
occupational safety and health

Table of contents

Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................. 3

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 4

2. Relevance, uses and scope of statistics on occupational safety and health ..................................... 5

2.1. Importance of occupational safety and health in societies and economies ............................ 5

2.2. Uses of occupational safety and health statistics ........................................................................ 6

2.3. Scope of occupational safety and health statistics ...................................................................... 7

3. International standards on occupational safety and health statistics ............................................ 10

3.1. International labour standards ..................................................................................................... 10

3.2. International standards of labour statistics: the Resolution concerning statistics of

occupational injuries (resulting from occupational accidents) ............................................................. 11

3.3. ILO methodology for the harmonization of labour inspection statistics ............................... 11

3.4. Main concepts and definitions of occupational safety and health statistics ......................... 11

3.5. Main occupational safety and health indicators ........................................................................ 13

4. Sources of statistics on occupational safety and health .................................................................... 14

4.1. Administrative records, including insurance records, notification records, and labour
inspection records ......................................................................................................................................... 17

4.2. Establishment censuses and surveys ............................................................................................ 19

4.3. Household surveys ........................................................................................................................... 24

4.4. Combining different sources to pool their strengths ................................................................ 30

4.5. Other sources ................................................................................................................................... 31

5. Challenges and considerations ............................................................................................................... 31

5.1. Data availability ............................................................................................................................... 31

5.2. Variety of possible sources ............................................................................................................. 32

5.3. Data comparability across countries ............................................................................................ 32

5.4. Data comparability over time and trend analysis ...................................................................... 32

5.5. Importance of data disaggregation .............................................................................................. 33

5.6. Impact of the coverage of the statistics....................................................................................... 34

5.7. Analysis of occupational safety and health statistics within a given context and through a
coherent set of indicators ............................................................................................................................ 35

5.8. Need for coordination across agencies ........................................................................................ 35

6. Concluding remarks ................................................................................................................................. 36

7. References ................................................................................................................................................. 37
Acknowledgements
This quick guide was drafted by Rosina Gammarano of the ILO Department of Statistics’ Data Production
and Analysis Unit, currently seconded to the UN Resident Coordination Office in Mexico. The quality of the
first draft was improved by valuable comments from colleagues including Alizée Charbonneau, Steven
Kapsos, Quentin Mathys, Balint Nafradi, Yves Perardel and Yuka Ujita. This document results from the joint
work of the ILO Department of Statistics and the ILO Labour Administration, Labour Inspection and
Occupational Safety and Health Branch.

This quick guide is a product of the Vision Zero Fund (VZF) project on filling data and knowledge gaps on
occupational safety and health in global supply chains funded by the European Union. The views
expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union. The VZF is
implemented within the framework of the ILO Flagship Programme Safety + Health for All.
1. Introduction
Occupational safety and health is a core aspect of decent work. Decent work is safe work. All workers
should be safe in their workplaces, reassured that they are not exposed to undue risks and hazards. The
physical conditions and mental demands of the workplace, and the work environment in general, have a
strong impact on workers’ well-being and living conditions. Occupational accidents and diseases have a
significant human, social and economic cost, which we should strive to eliminate by ensuring that all
workplaces are safe.

The importance of occupational safety and health was recognized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and promote sustainable
development everywhere, encapsulated in 17 Goals adopted by all UN member States in 2015.
Occupational safety and health is so vital to decent work and sustainable development that within
Sustainable Development Goal 8, which focuses on decent work and economic growth, Target 8.8 refers to
the protection of labour rights and the promotion of safe and secure working environments for all
workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.
Occupational health is also present in Sustainable Development Goal 3, which is devoted to ensuring
everyone’s health and well-being.1

Great efforts have been made in the last decades to promote safety and health at work in some parts of
the world, including numerous awareness campaigns and enhanced workplace inspections. Efforts have
also included global initiatives, such as the Vision Zero Fund, fostered by the G7, endorsed by the G20,
funded by the European Commission, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the
United States among others, and implemented within the framework of the ILO Flagship Programme
Safety + Health for All. The Vision Zero Fund brings together governments, employers’ and workers’
organizations, companies, and other stakeholders in their joint pursuit to achieving the goal of eliminating
severe and fatal occupational accidents, injuries and diseases in global supply chains. 2 Unfortunately,
however, too many workers are still exposed to undue risks in their workplaces, work accidents are still far
too common, and too many work-related risk factors are left unchecked, leading to occupational injuries
and diseases that could have been prevented.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, occupational safety and health has taken on even greater
importance. The health emergency reminded the international community why occupational safety and
health has to be universally guaranteed. Also, the need for continued essential services during lockdowns,
provided by workers exposed to increased risk of coronavirus infection such as health workers, cleaners,
food supply workers, and postal and delivery workers, brought to light deficits in their workplace safety
and health and the dire implications this can have for society at large.

In an effort to stop or at least slow down the spread of the virus, new working arrangements have
emerged, including widespread teleworking. Moreover, to counter the economic difficulties resulting from
lockdown measures, businesses have resorted to various strategies, including dismissals, temporary lay-
offs, furloughs, working time reduction and wage cuts. This unprecedented situation highlights the need
to ensure the occupational safety and health of all workers, including those working remotely from home
and those temporarily or indefinitely not at work.

Every year on the 28th of April the ILO celebrates the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, an annual
international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work. Recognizing the grim impact of the

1
For more information on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, refer to the UN’s website on the Sustainable
Development Goals.
2
For more information on The Vision Zero Fund, refer to: https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/how-the-ilo-
works/departments-and-offices/governance/labadmin-osh/programmes/vzf/lang--
en/index.htm#:~:text=The%20Vision%20Zero%20Fund%20(VZF,diseases%20in%20global%20supply%20chains.
pandemic on working conditions around the world, and particularly on occupational safety and health, the
2020 campaign focussed on promoting the adoption of occupational safety and health measures to
prevent and mitigate health risks, including those arising from new working arrangements.3

Given the importance of occupational safety and health, it is crucial to have timely and reliable information
on the state of occupational safety and health around the world, and especially the safety and health
deficits requiring prompt action by authorities, policy makers and social partners.

Statistics on occupational safety and health, including on occupational fatalities, injuries and diseases, are
essential to assess the extent to which occupational hazards are prevented or controlled and workers are
protected from work-related hazards and risks. Occupational safety and health statistics also inform the
adoption of effective measures and campaigns to prevent and mitigate work-related risks. However, the
production of reliable occupational safety and health statistics is not without challenges. Perhaps the main
one remains the lack of available data on occupational safety and health in many countries around the
world, others include problems of data timeliness, frequency, coverage, comparability and reliability.

This guide gives an overview of the main aspects of occupational safety and health statistics, including
their relevance and uses. It also presents the international standards governing occupational safety and
health statistics, as well as a description of the most commonly used occupational safety and health
indicators. The guide also reviews the various types of potential sources of occupational safety and health
statistics, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the guide points to the main
challenges surrounding the compilation, dissemination and interpretation of occupational safety and
health statistics.

This guide is intended as an introductory manual to occupational safety and health statistics, providing
valuable but non-exhaustive information. It is a useful reference tool for data producers of occupational
safety and health statistics, researchers, labour market analysts, social partners, and data users interested
in occupational safety and health.

2. Relevance, uses and scope of statistics on

occupational safety and health
2.1. Importance of occupational safety and health in societies and
economies

A safe and sound working environment ensuring occupational safety and health at work is at the core of
decent work and the quality of employment. Occupational safety and health is a key contributing factor to
workers’ (and their families’) well-being and living conditions. The general level of health and well-being
has an impact at the aggregate level for communities at large. The role of occupational safety and health
in labour markets is critical. It significantly impacts on the quality of employment, and is linked to broader
social and economic dimensions such as economic performance, productivity, consumption and
expenditure. Thus, the degree to which occupational safety and health is secured has an impact on labour
market outcomes at the macro and microeconomic levels.

The latest global estimates available indicate that more than 2.78 million workers around the world die per
year as a result of occupational accidents or diseases, and some 374 million non-fatal work-related injuries
take place. The human cost of occupational safety and health deficits is vast and unacceptable. The same

3
For more information on the 2020 World Day for Safety and Health at Work, refer to:
https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/events-training/events-meetings/world-day-safety-health-
at-work/WCMS_739669/lang--en/index.htm.
estimates place the economic burden of poor occupational safety and health practices at almost 4 per cent
of global gross domestic product each year.4

Indeed, occupational safety and health bears particular significance for communities, societies and
economies. The consequences of occupational safety and health deficits can be dire not just for workers
and their families, but for society at large as well, and both for the labour market and the economy. The
overall costs of occupational accidents and diseases are often much greater than immediately perceived.
They include human, social, and economic costs. The human costs alone are enough to justify the pursuit
of universal occupational safety and health, but these add to economic costs borne by employers, workers
and societies. Employer costs include direct costs such as those related to compensation of workers who
have suffered from an injury or disease and indirect costs such as decreased production or productivity.
Worker costs can also be varied, including income loss due to injury or illness, cost of medical treatments
(not compensated by the employer or the social insurance), and more indirect costs such as facing poorer
economic prospects after an occupational accident or disease. The costs to society can manifest through
costs to public or private health insurances, for instance.

Investing in occupational safety and health reduces all these costs, while also improving performance,
productivity and worker morale. Recognizing that decent work is safe work, the ILO aims to raise
awareness of the human, social and economic returns of investment in occupational safety and health,
placing the health and safety of all workers on the international agenda to boost the adoption of effective
measures at the national and enterprise levels.

Occupational safety and health leads to prosperity and development in several spheres, including the
social and economic spheres, and even the environment in cases where measures taken for the sake of
workers and communities benefit the planet as well.

However, to have a reliable picture of the state of occupational safety and health and ensure that progress
is actually taking place, timely, accurate and comparable statistics are needed.

2.2. Uses of occupational safety and health statistics

Given the importance of occupational safety and health on workers’ well-being, living conditions, labour
market performance, and economic outcomes, it is crucial to have reliable and timely data so as to assess
the extent of occupational risks and hazards.

Statistics on occupational safety and health provide information on the context in which workers and
employers operate, including the particularities of the health system, the social protection system, and the
corresponding legal framework. They enable assessments of the state of workers’ safety and health and
the identification of areas of particular concern, pointing to the need for research, regulation,
improvements or targeted campaigns. Indeed, occupational safety and health statistics can be used to
plan preventive measures that could have a great positive impact. Statistics are also useful in the
evaluation of the results of measures and policies, systems and programmes implemented at
international, national and enterprise levels and can reveal progress or deterioration of occupational
safety and health.

Reliable, relevant, accurate and timely occupational safety and health indicators are valuable tools to
support policy formulation and implementation and decision-making on the matter. They are also highly
useful for social partners (trade unions, employers and/or employers’ organizations) to be aware of the
situation and decide what needs to be changed and how. By knowing the risks associated with their work

4
https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/lang--en/index.htm
and workplaces, employers, employers’ organizations, workers and workers’ organizations can take an
active part in their own safety.

Statistics on occupational accidents, injuries and diseases are crucial to assess how safe and secure
working environments are. They inform on workers’ exposure to risks at work and can reveal which
groups of workers are the most vulnerable. This can help policy makers in concentrating their efforts so
that measures taken are as impactful as possible, for instance by designing specific safety campaigns or
more effectively targeting inspection visits. Also, statistics are useful identify new hazards and emerging
risks.

Although the main objective of occupational safety and health indicators is perhaps to provide information
for prevention purposes, they may be also used for a number of other purposes, such as estimating the
consequences of occupational accidents (for instance in terms of work days lost, income lost or production
lost), which in turn can raise awareness on the importance of occupational safety and health.

In adopting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals
contained in it, the international community recognized the importance of statistics and monitoring in the
achievement of the goals. With that in mind, a Global Indicator Framework was designed to monitor
progress towards the achievement of each Sustainable Development Goal and Target. Regarding Target
8.8 (Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including
migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment), this indicator
framework includes an indicator on the fatal and non-fatal occupational injury rates by sex and migrant
status (SDG indicator 8.8.1).5

2.3. Scope of occupational safety and health statistics

The scope of occupational safety and health statistics can potentially be very wide and cover a vast array of
topics related specifically to occupational safety and health, or more generally to the context in terms of
social protection, health, labour market, the economy and the legal framework.

Within their most narrow scope, occupational safety and health statistics cover anything related to
occupational accidents, injuries and diseases (their number, their type and characteristics, the
characteristics of the workers concerned, their frequency, etc.), compensation related to occupational
accidents and diseases and notification schemes (number of employers and workers covered, their
characteristics, etc.).

To understand the state of occupational safety and health it is necessary to analyse it within its context. It
is also important to have relevant information on the labour market, and particularly, on its composition:
the share of employees, the share of informal employment, the sectoral composition of employment, the
distribution of employment across the national territory, etc. It is particularly important to have statistics
on the reference population for authorities monitoring occupational safety and health, with information
on the type of workers and sectors covered. It is also crucial to have information on the social protection
system, its coverage and scope, particularly regarding coverage in the event of a work injury or disease,
and on the health system, as well as on occupational health systems.

Indicators on the size of the economy, economic performance, economic growth, and inequalities are also
useful to provide context to occupational safety and health measures.

Moreover, indicators on occupational injuries are complementary to those on labour inspection, given that
labour inspection is one of the main mechanisms to monitor occupational safety. Labour inspection
statistics play an important role in the development of national policies, systems, programmes and

5
More information on the SDG Global Indicator Framework is available at: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/
strategies for labour inspection, which in turn contribute to improved occupational safety and health.
Relevant labour inspection statistics include (but are not limited to) the number of labour inspectors
(especially compared to the number of workplaces liable to labour inspection), the number of inspection
visits conducted, and the number of infringements recorded.

It is noteworthy that a comprehensive occupational safety and health information system would include
both statistical (quantitative) indicators and qualitative indicators (for instance, legal framework or
governance indicators).

To the extent possible, data should be disaggregated using all the relevant breakdowns, as disaggregated
data pinpoints the differences across population groups and areas and reveals challenges faced by specific
groups or regions. Useful disaggregations include sex, age, status in employment (employees versus self-
employed), economic activity (sectors), occupation, urban or rural areas, and migrant or national workers,
to name a few.

Figure 1 summarizes the key items of data collection related to occupational safety and health statistics.
  Figure 1. The scope of occupational safety and health statistics

Labour market
General context Legal framework
context
•Economic growth •Employment by country •Freedom of Association
•Labour productivity growth region, rural/urban areas, •Collective bargaining right
•Labour income share migrant status, economic •Compliance with labour
activity, status in rights
•Poverty headcount and rate
employment, public/private
•Social protection coverage •Equal opportunity and
sector, hours worked, etc.
•Health services coverage treatment
•Share of informal
•Mortality due to hazardous •Labour administration
employment
chemicals and air, water and •Labour inspection
•Mean and median hourly and
soil pollution monthly earnings •Minimum wage
•Child labour rate •Mean working time •Maximum hours of work
•Inequality indicators •Unemployment rate and •Employment termination
•Etc. discouraged jobseekers •Unemployment insurance
•Trade union density rate •Work injury benefits
•Collective bargaining •Etc.
coverage rate
•Employers' organizations
density rate
•Etc.

Occupational Occupational
Labour inspection
accidents and injuries diseases
•Occupational accidents •Occupational diseases •Labour inspection coverage:
reported by country region, reported and compensated employed persons and
economic activity, by disease, severity, risk economic units or
establishment size, number factor, workers' workplaces covered by the
of workers involved, outcome characteristics, job labour inspection, by country
for the workers, etc. characteristics, etc. region, rural/urban areas,
•Reported and compensated •Time lost due to migrant status, economic
fatal occupational injuries by occupational diseases by activity, status in
workers' characteristics, economic activity employment, public/private
country region, economic •Etc. sector, etc.
activity, etc. •Number of labour inspectors
•Reported and compensated by sex, country region and
non-fatal occupational specialty
injuries by workers' •Working conditions and
characteristics, country equipment of inspectors
region, economic activity, •Number of inspection visits
working time lost, incapacity by type, outcome,
for work, etc. infringements detected,
•Time lost due to sanctions imposed, country
occupational injuries by region, economic activity,
economic activity establishment size, etc.
•Workers in the reference •Etc.
group (for example, workers
covered by the labour
inspection, social insurance
or injury insurance)
•Etc.
3. International standards on occupational safety and
health statistics
3.1. International labour standards

International labour standards are legal instruments setting out basic principles and rights at work at the
international level, drafted and adopted by the ILO constituents (governments, employers and workers)
during the International Labour Conferences. International labour standards can be Conventions, which
are legally-binding for ratifying countries, or Recommendations, which serve as non-binding guidelines.
After the adoption of a Convention, ILO member States are required to submit them to their parliament or
the competent authority for consideration of ratification. Ratifying countries commit to implementing the
Convention by integrating it into their national law and ensuring its application in practice. They also
commit to reporting regularly to the ILO on the application of the Convention.

The field of occupational safety and health statistics is governed by several international labour standards.
The Occupational Safety and Health Convention (Convention 155, adopted in 1981) provides for the adoption
of a coherent national occupational safety and health policy, and it lays out actions to be taken by
governments and within enterprises to promote occupational safety and health to improve working
conditions. The importance of statistics on occupational accidents and diseases is recognized in this
Convention, which includes an obligation to produce them annually. More recently, the Protocol of 2002 to
the Occupational Safety and Health Convention addressed the need to strengthen recording and notification
procedures for occupational accidents and diseases and to promote the harmonization of recording and
notification systems to favour the design of preventive measures.

Also, the Labour Inspection Convention (Convention 81, adopted in 1947), which establishes the basic
principles of labour inspection systems, includes an obligation for the central national inspection authority
to publish an annual report including statistics on the labour inspection staff and activities, as well as on
occupational accidents and diseases known to the labour inspection. Since the labour inspection is central
in monitoring and enforcing occupational safety and health, this is an important document for both areas.

The Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention (Convention 187, adopted in
2006) lays out the basic requirements for suitable occupational safety and health systems, including data
collection and analysis.

Recognizing that the right of everyone to occupational safety and health includes access to a world of
work free from violence and harassment, the International Labour Conference adopted in its Centenary
Session the Violence and Harassment Convention (Convention 190, adopted in 2019). Although this
Convention does not explicitly call for the compilation of relevant data on instances of violence and
harassment at work, it does call for the monitoring and enforcement of laws and regulations and
awareness-raising, all of which require (or at least would be better off with) reliable data.

The Labour Statistics Convention (Convention 160, adopted in 1985) lays out the basics for a suitable
national labour market statistics system, emphasizing not only the importance of data availability on the
main areas of labour statistics, but also the need for transparent and robust methodologies. Countries
ratifying this Convention commit to regularly produce and disseminate statistics on a range of different
labour market aspects, including occupational injuries and diseases, where possible disaggregated by
economic activity.
3.2. International standards of labour statistics: the Resolution
concerning statistics of occupational injuries (resulting from
occupational accidents)

There are two types of international standards of labour statistics: Conventions and Recommendations
adopted by the International Labour Conference (discussed in section 3.1) dealing with statistics, and
Resolutions and Guidelines adopted by the International Conferences of Labour Statisticians.

The main international standard dealing specifically with the compilation and dissemination of
occupational safety and health statistics is the Resolution concerning statistics of occupational injuries
(resulting from occupational accidents), adopted by the Sixteenth International Conference of Labour
Statisticians held in 1998.

This Resolution provides information on the objectives and uses of occupational injuries statistics, as well
as on the main possible sources of data. It also presents the standard definitions for the key concepts
pertaining to occupational accidents and injuries, and lists the main data items to be collected and
disseminated.

The definitions set out in this Resolution are the international standard definitions guiding the production
of reliable and comparable statistics at the international level, including for monitoring of the Sustainable
Development Goals. It is noteworthy that occupational accidents, injuries or diseases may be defined
differently for statistical purposes than for labour inspection purposes, notification or compensation
purposes. To the extent possible, the production of occupational safety and health statistics should be
based on the standard statistical definitions.

3.3. ILO methodology for the harmonization of labour inspection

statistics

Acknowledging the key role played by labour inspection statistics in the development of national policies,
systems, programmes and strategies for labour inspection, and realizing that the compilation, analysis,
and use of labour inspection data varies widely from one country to another, the ILO advocates for the
harmonization of labour inspection statistics.

Based on in-depth studies conducted in countries of all regions, the ILO produced a report urging for the
use of a common methodology for labour inspection statistics, and laying out the main aspects of such a
methodology, entitled Guide on the Harmonization of Labour Inspection Statistics.

Given the strong link between labour inspection systems and occupational safety and health, this report is
a valuable document also for the field of occupational safety and health statistics.

3.4. Main concepts and definitions of occupational safety and health

statistics

The main concepts and definitions used in the field of occupational safety and health statistics are listed
below in alphabetic order. The definitions presented here are international standard definitions taken
from the Resolution concerning statistics of occupational injuries (resulting from occupational accidents), other
relevant resolutions adopted by the International Conferences of Labour Statisticians, ILO Conventions or
other official documents of international standing such as the ILO Manual on Decent Work Indicators.

Commuting accident: an accident occurring on the habitual route, in either direction, between the place
of work or work-related training and the worker’s principal or secondary residence, the place where the
worker usually takes his or her meals, or the place where he or she usually receives his or her
remuneration; which results in death or personal injury.

Economic units or workplaces liable to labour inspection: economic units or workplaces that are
subject to labour inspection according to national legislation.

Gender-based violence and harassment: violence and harassment (including sexual harassment)
directed at persons because of their sex or gender, or affecting persons of a particular sex or gender
disproportionately.

Incapacity for work: inability of the victim, due to an occupational injury, to perform the normal duties of
work in the job or post occupied at the time of the occupational accident. Incapacity for work can be
temporary or permanent.

Inspection visit: an inspection visit occurs every time one or more inspectors visit an economic unit in
person to verify compliance with labour legislation. An inspection visit is a specific type of inspection
action.

Labour inspector: a public official named or recruited as labour inspector (including sub-inspectors,
labour controllers, or similar categories) and who undertakes advisory, control and monitoring tasks with
respect to labour laws and regulations, and who is responsible for initiating sanction procedures in the
event of an infringement.

Occupational accident: an unexpected and unplanned occurrence, including acts of violence, arising out
of or in connection with work, which results in one or more workers incurring a personal injury, disease or
death. Travel, transport or road traffic accidents in which workers are injured and which arise out of or in
the course of work (that is, while engaged in an economic activity, or at work, or carrying on the business
of the employer) are considered occupational accidents. Commuting accidents, however, are not.

Occupational disease: a disease contracted as a result of exposure over a period of time to risk factors
arising from work activity.

Occupational injury: any personal injury, disease or death resulting from an occupational accident. An
occupational injury is therefore distinct from an occupational disease, which is a disease contracted as a
result of exposure over a long period of time to risk factors arising from work activity. A case of
occupational injury is the case of one worker incurring one occupational injury as a result of an
occupational accident (one worker may incur several occupational injuries). An occupational injury could
be fatal (where death occurred within one year of the day of the occupational accident) or non-fatal with
lost work time. Statistics on fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries should always be presented, treated
and interpreted separately, since they tend to come from different sources, often having different
coverage and following different methodologies.

Permanent incapacity for work: cases of occupational injury where the persons injured were unable to
work from the day of the accident, and were never able to perform again the normal duties of work in the
job or post occupied at the time of the occupational accident causing the injury.

Temporary incapacity for work: cases of occupational injury where the workers injured were unable to
work from the day after the day of the accident, but were later able to perform again the normal duties of
work in the job or post occupied at the time of the occupational accident causing the injury (within a
period of one year from the day of the accident).

Violence and harassment in the world of work: refers to a range of unacceptable behaviours and
practices, or threats thereof, whether a single occurrence or repeated, that aim at, result in, or are likely to
result in physical, psychological, sexual or economic harm, and includes gender-based violence and
harassment.

Workers in the reference group: Workers in the particular group under consideration and who are
covered by the source of the statistics of occupational accidents, injuries or diseases (for example, those of
a specific sex or in a specific economic activity, occupation, region, age group, or any combination of
these, or those covered by a particular insurance scheme, accident notification system, or household or
establishment survey). Workers in the reference group are the potential coverage of occupational safety
and health statistics, so they will serve as the denominator of key indicators on occupational accidents and
injury rates.

3.5. Main occupational safety and health indicators

It is generally difficult and not particularly informative to analyse the number of occupational accidents,
injuries or diseases in absolute terms since they do not convey any information beyond the numerical
magnitude of the phenomenon. And in fact, even the numerical magnitude is hard to grasp unless it is put
in context. Based solely on the total number of occupational accidents, injuries or diseases, it is hard to tell
how frequent these occurrences are, the extent of the workers’ exposure to risk and the likelihood of
incidents recurring in the future. With a view to drawing more helpful conclusions from the statistics and
in order to favour comparisons (over time, across countries and even across economic activities or
occupations), it is recommended to put figures into perspective by calculating a rate or ratio.

The main rates of occupational injuries used in labour statistics are incidence rates (number of
occupational injuries during the reference period for a given number of workers in the reference group),
frequency rates (number of occupational injuries during the reference period for a given number of hours
worked by the workers in the reference group), and severity rates (number of days lost due to new cases
of occupational injury during the reference period for a given number of hours worked by the workers in
the reference group).

These rates are expressed per a given number of workers in the reference group (incidence) or per a given
number of hours worked by workers in the reference group (frequency and severity). This given number
could be 100, 1’000, 100’000, 1’000’000, etc. Keeping in mind the magnitude of the number of occupational
injuries or days lost, the unit chosen should be the one which favours most the interpretation of the rates,
by minimizing the decimals needed for the resulting rates to be meaningful.

Although the rates of occupational injuries could be expressed per a different number of workers or hours
based on context and convenience, for the purpose of data comparability, the formulae most widely
accepted and used are the following:

𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔

𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑟𝑦
= 𝑥 100′000
𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝

𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔

𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑟𝑦
= 𝑥 1′000′000
𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝

𝑺𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔

𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑟𝑦
= 𝑥 1′000′000
𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝
All these rates should be calculated separately for fatal occupational injuries and non-fatal occupational
injuries.

The incidence rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries cast light on the extent to which workers in
the reference group are exposed to work-related risks, by presenting the average number of fatal or non-
fatal occupational injuries per worker in the reference group (or per given number of workers in the
reference group). This refers to the personal likelihood of the workers in the reference group suffering
from work-related injuries.

Similarly, the frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries provide information on the
likelihood that workers in the reference group will incur occupational injuries given the amount of hours
they worked. In other words, they present the average number of fatal or non-fatal occupational injuries
per hour worked by workers in the reference group (or per given number of hours worked by workers in
the reference group).

The severity rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries give an idea of the relative cost or impact in
terms of work days lost due to occupational accidents.

Rates can also be calculated to better assess the scope and activities of the labour inspection. For instance,
the labour inspection rate presents the average number of labour inspectors per a given number of
employed persons, conveying the extent to which the labour inspection staff has the means to ensure
enforcement of safety and health regulations.

Just as for the rates of occupational injuries, the labour inspection rate could also be expressed per
different numbers of employed persons. However, taking into account the magnitude of the ratio of
inspectors to the employed around the world, for the purposes of international comparability, the
recommended calculation is the following:

𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠

𝑳𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 = 𝑥 100′000
𝐸𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑦𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡

Social protection systems are also important for occupational safety and health. In particular, it is crucial to
have information on the share of workers who would be covered in the event of an occupational accident
or injury.

𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒖𝒓𝒚

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
= 𝑥 100′000
𝐸𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑦𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡

4. Sources of statistics on occupational safety and

health
Labour statistics comprise statistics from a wide range of labour-related topics and can be derived from a
variety of sources. The characteristics of the statistical source determine how reliable, comparable and
representative labour statistics are. Hence, when referring to labour statistics, it is crucial to understand
the implications of the type of source used and to keep in mind the methodology and coverage
(geographical, population, topics, etc.) of the underlying source. 6 This is critical for occupational safety and
health statistics, which can come from a variety of sources.

6
From the Quick Guide on Sources and Uses of Labour Statistics.
The more traditional sources of labour statistics are population and establishment censuses, and
household and establishment surveys, because these are purposely designed to produce statistics.
However, a wealth of valuable information can also be derived from sources not initially created for
statistical purposes, such as administrative records and big data.7

In the case of occupational safety and health statistics, administrative records kept by a variety of agencies
such as the labour ministry, the labour inspectorate, the social insurance or the health ministry are
perhaps the most common sources. However, it is also possible to have occupational safety and health
statistics from household surveys or establishment censuses or surveys. These data collection activities are
designed specifically for the purpose of producing statistics (typically by the national statistical office or
other relevant competent authorities).

No source of statistics can fulfil all statistical needs, implying that the different types of sources are
complements rather than substitutes. Indeed, each type of data source has its advantages and
disadvantages, and combining data sources allows leveraging their strengths. Nevertheless, in the field of
occupational safety and health statistics, the lack of data availability remains the biggest challenge, and
often times there is no more than one reliable data source accessible.

7
From the Quick Guide on Sources and Uses of Labour Statistics.
  Figure 2. Key advantages and disadvantages of the main sources of occupational safety and
health statistics

Advantages Disadvantages

Administrative records
- Follow administrative purposes and
- - Data readily available, no additional guidelines, not statistical ones. Items of data
compilation efforts or costs, cost-effective collection determined by administrative needs,
not statistical ones
- Although coverage of the universe may be
- Usually exhaustive coverage of the universe exhaustive, universe is often limited and far
from comprehensive
- Often not updated regularly
- Under-reporting can be common
- Total count allows for great level of detail
- Official reporting requirements frequently
exclude some categories of workers
Establishment censuses and surveys
- Often poor coverage of small businesses and
- Comprehensive coverage of large businesses
the informal sector
- High non-response rates (if it is not
- High data accuracy from payroll records
mandatory)
- Data items limited by information in
- In-depth information on the employer or
establishment registers and provided by the
economic unit as well as on the employees
employer
- Sampling errors in surveys
- Generally no information on workers who are
not employees (such as own-account workers
and contributing family workers), workers who
are not registered or with informal jobs

Household surveys
- Data quality depends on the accuracy of the
- Comprehensive coverage of working-age
respondents. This is especially crucial for
population (employed, unemployed and outside
occupational safety and health questions,
the labour force) allows for studies beyond
where subjectivity may lead different
employment, and within employment, across
respondents to recall or classify events
different categories of employed
differently
- Questionnaire design allows the collection of
- Characteristics of sampling may prevent
data items of interest and detailed questioning
reliable estimates for small groups and areas
gives more precise measurement
- Large potential for interesting cross-
tabulations given the amount of variables - Sampling errors
collected
- Lower quality of data on sensitive topics
4.1. Administrative records, including insurance records, notification
records, and labour inspection records

Administrative records comprise lists of units of a given population (persons, items or events), which
include information on each unit (variables associated with each unit, geographical localisation of each
unit, and relationship between units), and where each unit can be uniquely identified and the information
is regularly updated. These records are created and maintained by a specific agency for administrative
purposes, notably having a record of all the elements managed by the agency, so they aim to be a
complete list of all objects in the reference group or population (although it is possible in practice to have
missing values). In general, as administrative records are intended to allow the relevant agency to keep
track of all elements of a specified type (for instance, have an account of all the staff, the resources, the
activities carried out, or the members), all elements are identifiable and the recording is comprehensive.
However, as these records are created for administrative purposes and not statistical ones (the production
of statistics is a positive secondary effect), the reliability and validity of the statistics will be determined by
the administrative processes. The quality of the data, the type of data available, its coverage and
timeliness will depend on the characteristics of the record and the registration procedures. 8

Administrative records are the most common source of occupational safety and health statistics. In fact,
perhaps the strongest point of administrative records is how ubiquitous they are. Lack of data availability
is a major challenge in the field of occupational safety and health statistics. In the absence of statistical
data collections such as establishment or household surveys, administrative records created by various
agencies for their own purposes often represent the only available source of occupational safety and
health data.

There is a wide variety of possible administrative records which could yield statistics on occupational safety
and health, including records maintained by labour ministries, labour inspectorates, health ministries,
social insurances, private insurances, and trade unions. Different types of records would pursue different
goals and follow different guidelines, and thus, the statistics derived would have different methodologies
and coverages. For instance, records of the corresponding system of notification of occupational accidents
by the employers, the workers or a labour inspector to the competent authority (sometimes required by
law) and records of compensation claimed (and received) by the workers incurring in an occupational
injury to the competent authority (social insurance, labour ministry, etc.) could yield different statistics on
occupational injuries. Indeed, often times not all notified injuries are compensated and/or not all
compensated injuries are notified.

Therefore, for occupational safety and health statistics, the reliability of the data is greatly influenced by
whether or not the registration or notification of occupational accidents, injuries and/or diseases with the
agency keeping the record is obligatory. Where notification of accidents is not compulsory or there are
reasons to believe these occurrences are largely under-reported, the record may be incomplete, and thus
any statistics derived from it would underestimate occupational risks and hazards. Similarly, where
statistics are derived from insurance records, it is important to know the coverage of the compensation
scheme to assess how comprehensive the statistics are. Again, if the insurance in question is far from
covering a large share of the employed, the statistics derived from its records would be limited in scope
and they should never be interpreted as if they were representative of the country as a whole.

More generally, the coverage of administrative records may not be fully comprehensive, due to under-
reporting (under-notification of occupational accidents), some workers not having access to compensation
schemes (for instance, workers in informal employment may be excluded), or the record covering only
some country regions or economic activities. In these cases, it is crucial to have accurate information on
the coverage of the statistics, to ensure their accurate interpretation.

8
From the Quick Guide on Sources and Uses of Collective Bargaining Statistics.
Moreover, since the data collection follows the administrative purposes of the agency keeping the record,
the statistics collected on occupational accidents, injuries or diseases may not refer to the definitions
presented in section 3.4, but rather to the definitions established by the agency in question. For example,
as mentioned above, statistics on occupational injuries from an insurance record may refer only to injuries
effectively compensated by that agency, and statistics from labour inspection records may refer only to
occupational injuries which were notified to the labour inspectorate or which came to the labour
inspectors’ knowledge.

Likewise, time periods and time thresholds used as operational criteria are crucial in occupational safety
and health statistics. Ideally, a comprehensive count of occupational injuries would cover all injuries,
regardless of the duration of the incapacity for work that they caused. However, for operational purposes,
often times records only log injuries having resulted in an absence from work of more than a given
number of days. In such cases, it is important to assess how many injuries are left out, and keep them in
mind for cost estimations of occupational accidents. For instance, if occupational injuries are only recorded
and analysed if they result in an absence from work of at least three days, and most injuries in the country
lead to a shorter absence from work (therefore never making the record), authorities will greatly
underestimate the aggregate number of work days lost, the impact of accidents on production, the risks
workers are exposed to and the safety concerns which should be addressed.

It is worth noting that administrative records kept by different agencies often cover different aspects of
occupational safety and health. The agencies compiling information on occupational diseases are usually
different from the ones focussing on occupational accidents or injuries. The agencies notified about
occupational injuries are not the same ones as those compensating them. The agencies notified about or
compensating fatal occupational injuries tend to be different from the agencies notified about or
compensating non-fatal occupational injuries. Thus, when deriving statistics from administrative records,
information on occupational diseases, fatal occupational injuries and non-fatal occupational injuries is very
likely to be derived from different sources. This means that the sources may have different coverage, so
that statistics on diseases, fatal injuries and non-fatal injuries, although very complementary, may not be
strictly comparable.

A good example of statistical production from administrative records on occupational safety and health
matters is given by the Argentinian Work Risks Authority (Superintendencia de Riesgos de Trabajo). Based
on the occupational accidents, commuting accidents, and occupational diseases notified by the different
insurance schemes or employers, this agency consolidates valuable statistics on occupational safety and
health with a view to monitoring risks and preventing future accidents. These statistics are regularly
disseminated on the agency’s website.9 The Costa Rican National Insurance Institute also compiles and
disseminates valuable statistics on occupational accidents and their consequences.10 Similarly, Safe Work
Australia, the Australian authority in charge of developing national policy regarding occupational safety
and health, produces and disseminates statistics from various sources of administrative data.11

The Irish Health and Safety Authority collects data on occupational accidents and injuries with a view to
monitoring health and safety performance and identifying major risks. The data are provided by
employers and self-employed workers. Employers are legally required to report incidents to the Health
and Safety Authority when injuries cause an absence from work of four or more days.12

9
Available at: https://www.srt.gob.ar/estadisticas/acc_ultimos_datos.php.
10
Available at: https://www.sugese.fi.cr/seccion-estadistica. Summary statistics are also included in the Labour Ministry’s
Statistical Yearbook (2019 edition available at: http://www.mtss.go.cr/elministerio/despacho/estadisticas/documentos-
estadisticas/anuario_estadistico_mtss_2019.pdf).
11
Available at: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/statistics-and-research/statistics/statistics.
12
More information on this data collection is available at: https://www.hiqa.ie/areas-we-work/health-information/data-
collections/work-related-injuries-database.
Usually the information contained in administrative records is compiled via notification or claim forms
filled in and submitted by workers and employers, or via the log of duties performed by labour inspectors.
Thus, the variables and indicators available depend on the contents of these forms and templates, and the
quality of the data depends on the accuracy of the people submitting them. Workplace Denmark, the
Danish authority monitoring occupational safety and health amongst foreign service providers and for
employees posted to work in Denmark, provides an example of notification form that employers must fill
in when an employee is injured in an accident at work, to report the accident to the relevant authorities.13

4.2. Establishment censuses and surveys

Establishment censuses and surveys are statistical data collections where the sampling unit is the
establishment. Thus, they can provide data on topics on which the establishment or employer holds
information, such as wages, working time, employees and vacancies. An establishment census is an
exhaustive exercise covering all establishments in a country, whereas an establishment survey focuses
only on a representative sample of establishments. Naturally, establishment censuses are more costly and
are typically conducted less frequently than establishment surveys, but they are more representative.

Establishment censuses and surveys can serve as sources of occupational safety and health data, although
they are used to produce such data much less frequently than administrative records.

The statistics coming from establishment censuses and surveys tend to be highly accurate, as they are
based on information taken directly from establishment payrolls. In addition, the establishment will be
able to provide detailed information on its own characteristics (establishment size, economic activity,
production, etc.). What is more, establishment censuses and surveys provide reliable data on all workers
covered within their scope (not just workers having been in a work accident), meaning that they have the
potential to provide reliable statistics of the incidence, frequency and severity of occupational accidents. In
other words, establishment censuses and surveys can provide statistics for both the numerator and the
denominator of the incidence, frequency and severity rates of occupational injuries (as described in
section 3.5), making their calculation consistent and reliable. Establishment surveys are especially useful
for the study of occupational safety in particularly hazardous economic activities or regions, since those
activities or regions can be identified and prioritized from the sampling frame.

However, the availability of occupational safety and health information from establishment censuses and
surveys depends on the questionnaire design, and more specifically on the number and quality of
questions asked on occupational safety and health matters.

Furthermore, establishment surveys are usually limited in their coverage: it is not uncommon for them to
cover only establishments above a certain size and/or in certain economic activities such as non-
agricultural private enterprises. Rarely do they cover informal sector enterprises. Also, data from
establishment surveys typically refer only to employees (who are the type of workers employed in
establishments), excluding the self-employed (own-account workers, contributing family workers, etc.).
Thus, data from establishment surveys may exclude a large share of the employed population. It follows
that the validity of establishment survey data for a given country is linked to the share of informal
employment, the share of employed in small businesses and the share of self-employment.

In many countries, the scope of the establishment survey will be determined by the coverage and
completeness of the business register used as the sample frame. Ideally, the sample frame should cover
all major areas of the country, all economic activities and all establishment sizes.

Also, although the information taken directly from payroll records will have the utmost accuracy, the
accuracy of the information provided on occupational accidents, injuries and diseases and safety matters

13
Available at: https://workplacedenmark.dk/health-and-safety/report-a-work-accident/ for download.
will depend on the respondents’ truthfulness, the way they perceive the survey and what they think the
information compiled will be used for.

In Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare conducts an establishment survey every year since
1952 on industrial accidents, with an aim to get information on such occurrences. The sample of this
survey covers around 32’000 establishments from the private and public sectors.14

The United States also has an annual establishment survey used to estimate incidence rates and counts of
occupational accidents, injuries and diseases: the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. This survey
covers the whole country, and the private sector as well as state and local governments. It provides
detailed data on each case of occupational accident, injury or disease, on the workers involved, and on
work days lost.15

In Philippines, the Integrated Survey on Labour and Employment is used to collect data on occupational
safety and health practices and occupational injuries and diseases. Box 1 presents the questions on
occupational safety and health included in the survey questionnaire to compile such data from
respondents.

14
Summary information on this survey is available at: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/database/db-
l/dl/outline_of_survey_2009.pdf. Data from this survey included in the Yearbook of Labour Statistics 2017 are available
at: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/database/db-yl/2017/05.html.
15
More information on the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses is available at:
https://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/soii/home.htm.
  Box 1. Examples of questions on occupational safety and health in establishment surveys

Philippines – Integrated Survey on Labour and Employment 2017/2018

Occupational Safety and Health Practices – Reference period: calendar year 2017
 What activities were conducted or practiced in your establishment as part of prevention or control
measures or activities against work safety and health hazards? (Mark “Yes” or “No” for each)
o Organized safety and health committee
o Appointed safety/health officers and/or first-aiders
o Posting of safety signages or warnings
o Workers’ orientation on safety and health hazards at work
o Installation of machine guards on moving parts/equipment
o Emergency preparedness and response activities for earthquake, fire, chemical spills, etc.
o Regular monitoring and control of hazards such as chemicals, noise and heat in work areas
o Dissemination of information materials on safety and health
o Submission of required reports on illnesses/injuries to DOLE
o Trainings on safety and health for officers and workers
o HIV and AIDS education in the workplace
o Regular inspection and maintenance of equipment
o Advocacy, education and training on drug-free workplace
o Provision of work accommodation measures to support workers with tuberculosis (e.g., flexible
leave/work schedule)
o Smoke-free workplace
o Periodic/annual medical exam of workers
o Hepatitis B education in the workplace
o Practice proper handling of chemicals/hazardous materials (appropriate labels, handling, storage)
o Use of safety manuals, labels or maintenance procedures
o Use of safety data sheet for chemicals
o Perform corrective action programs and audits
o Proper maintenance of mechanical and electrical facilities
o Provision of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as respirators, hardhat, safety
shoes, safety goggles, gloves, etc.
o Adoption of DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short Course) in management or referral of workers
with tuberculosis
o Random drug testing of officers and employees
o Assessment of ventilation system
o Others (specify) ________

 Which of the following occupational safety and health policies and programs were implemented in your
establishment? (Mark “Yes” or “No” for each)
o Hearing Conservation Program
o Monitoring/Surveillance of Occupational and Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
o Healthy Lifestyle Program such as smoking cessation, regular physical exercise, good nutrition and stress
management
o DOLE-Approved Construction Safety and Health Program
o Policy on non-discrimination of workers who have/had Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB)
o Policy on non-discrimination of workers confirmed/suspected/perceived to have HIV infection
o Policy on non-discrimination of workers confirmed/suspected/perceived to have Hepatitis B infection
o Accident Prevention Program
o Emergency Preparedness and Response Program
o Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program
o Heat Stress Management Program
o Respiratory Protection Program
o Anti-Sexual Harassment Program
o HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Policy and Program
  Box 1. Examples of questions on occupational safety and health in establishment surveys
(continued)

o Indoor Air Quality Program

o Drug-Free Workplace Policy and Program
o Employee Assistance Program related to substance abuse to include treatment, rehabilitation and
referral services
o Hepatitis B Prevention and Control Policy and Program
o Ergonomics Program
o Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy
o Chemical Safety Program such as provision of Globally Harmonized System (GHS) labels and safety
data sheet
o Fire Prevention and Control Program
o Others (specify) ________

 Did your employees availed work safety and health-related trainings/seminars? (If yes, please check the
actual trainings/seminars availed by your employees and indicate at most 3 training agencies/organizations
which conducted it using the corresponding code)
o 40-Hour Basic Occupational Safety and Health Training
o 40-Hour Construction Safety and Health Training
o 1-Day Occupational Safety and Health Orientation
o HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control in the Workplace
o Safe Work Procedures/Lock Out Tag Out Training
o Drug-Free Workplace Training
o Tuberculosis Prevention and Control in the Workplace
o Smoke-Free Workplace/Tobacco Control in the Workplace
o Hepatitis B Prevention and Control in the Workplace
o Stress Management
o Prevention and Control of Lifestyle-Related Disease/Healthy Lifestyle
o Fire Safety Training
o Industrial Hygiene (ventilation, work environment measurement, etc.)
o Chemical Safety Training
o Ergonomics Training
o Emergency Preparedness and Response
o Safety Audit/Accident Investigation
o OSH Management System
o Family Planning and Reproductive Health
o Scaffold Safety Training
o Others (specify) ________

 Who is/are the designated health and safety personnel in your establishment?
▢ Trained First-Aider ▢ Occupational Health Nurse ▢ Occupational Health Physician ▢ Dentist ▢
Industrial Hygienist ▢ Safety Officer
Is your safety officer accredited by the DOLE? ▢ Yes ▢ No
▢ Other (specify) _________ ▢ None

Occupational Injuries and Diseases – Reference period: calendar year 2017

 Did your establishment record occurrences (if any) of occupational injuries and diseases?
▢ Yes ▢ No (If yes, where do you record such occurrences?) ▢ EC Logbook ▢ Other _________

 Did your establishment experience any occupational accidents during the year? ▢ Yes ▢ No

 How many occupational accidents were there?

 Box 1. Examples of questions on occupational safety and health in establishment surveys
(continued)

Permanent incapacity Temporary incapacity Cases

without
Fatal Workdays Workdays workdays
Type of Injury Cases Cases
cases lost lost lost

Total (sum)
Superficial injuries and open wounds
Fractures
Dislocations, sprains and strains
Traumatic amputations
Concussions and internal injuries
Burns, corrosions, scalds and frostbites
Acute poisonings and infections
Foreign body in the eye
Others (specify)

Permanent Temporary
Fatal Cases without
Part of the Body Injured incapacity incapacity
cases workdays lost
cases cases
Total (sum)
Head
Neck
Back
Trunk or internal organs
Arm and shoulder
Wrist and hand
Lower extremities
Whole body or multiple sites equally injured

Cases
Permanent Temporary
Fatal without
Cause of Injury incapacity incapacity
cases workdays
cases cases
lost
Total (sum)
Falls of persons
Struck by falling objects
Stepping on or struck by objects, excluding falling objects
Caught by or in between objects
Over-exertion or strenuous movements
Exposure to or contact with extreme temperatures
Exposure to or contact with electric current
Exposure to or contact with harmful substances
Exposure to radiation
Others (specify) ___________________
 Box 1. Examples of questions on occupational safety and health in establishment surveys
(continued)

Cases
Permanent Temporary
Fatal without
Agent of Injury incapacity incapacity
cases workdays
cases cases
lost
Total (sum)
Buildings, structures
Prime movers
Distribution systems
Hand tools
Machines, equipment
Conveying/Transport/Packaging equipment or vehicles
Materials, objects
Chemical substances
Human, animals, plants, etc.
Others (specify) ___________

Cases
Permanent Temporary
Fatal without
Major Occupation Group incapacity incapacity
cases workdays
cases cases
lost
Total (sum)
Managers
Professionals
Technicians and associate professionals
Clerical support workers
Service and sales workers
Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers
Craft and related trades workers
Plant and machine operators and assemblers
Elementary occupations

4.3. Household surveys

Household surveys are data collections using the household as the sampling unit. They are designed
specifically for the purposes of collecting information on certain topics, and the data is compiled via
questionnaires given to a sample of households in a population. By their nature, household surveys can
cover any topic on which household members provide information. Where they are conducted frequently,
they allow for the study of short-term trends.

Labour force surveys are the main type of household surveys used to derive labour statistics, since they
are designed specifically for that purpose, and thus the survey questionnaires allow to properly investigate
the desired labour-related topics with enough probing questions to ensure the accuracy of the results.

Labour force surveys and other relevant types of household surveys can serve as sources of data on some
occupational safety and health aspects, notably occupational injuries, when the survey questionnaire
includes the corresponding questions. In fact, where there are no reliable sources of data on occupational
injuries available and a household survey is planned, adding relevant questions to the survey
questionnaire would be a cost-effective way of overcoming the lack of data.

The great advantage of using labour force surveys (or other types of household surveys) to produce
occupational safety and health data is that they cover the whole working-age population within the survey
sample (including all persons employed regardless of their economic activity, occupation or status in
employment, all those unemployed and persons outside the labour force). Therefore, they provide a
coherent framework for labour market analysis using various labour market indicators, including those on
occupational safety and health. This also means that household surveys cover workers in the informal
sector and/or in informal employment, given that individuals within the sample are interviewed
irrespective of the characteristics of their employment (as opposed to establishment surveys, which tend
to exclude informal sector enterprises and informal employment, as discussed in section 4.3). Hence,
household surveys can provide data on occupational safety and health concerns of hard-to-reach groups
such as agricultural workers, the self-employed and workers in informal employment.

Just as establishment surveys, household surveys also allow for the consistent and coherent measurement
of incidence, frequency and severity rates of occupational injuries, since they provide reliable statistics for
the numerator and denominator of those rates following the same methodology.

However, it is important to note that the coverage of statistics on occupational injuries from household
surveys is determined by the location of the corresponding questions in the survey questionnaire. If these
questions are asked to all persons employed, then it would be possible to have occupational injuries
statistics for all workers. If, on the contrary, these questions are asked for instance only to employees,
then the reference group can only be persons in paid employment.

Another major advantage of household surveys as a source of occupational injuries statistics is that data
can be cross-tabulated with numerous variables of interest, as these surveys also compile information on
many items related to the individuals’ labour market and socio-economic situation. Nonetheless, the
possibilities for detailed disaggregation will depend on the sample size and design. Indeed, there is a need
to strike the right balance between data reliability (linked to sampling) and data disaggregation.

Moreover, given that the unit of analysis in a household survey is the individual, each person would only
be counted once, avoiding issues of double-counting sometimes encountered in administrative records.

Labour force surveys also favour international comparability of occupational injuries statistics, since these
surveys’ methodologies are more consistent from country to country than those of administrative records
or establishment surveys, and usually apply international standards and operational criteria
recommended at the international level.

Nevertheless, the reliability of the occupational injuries data derived from household surveys depends
heavily on the accuracy of the respondents, their recollection of accidents and injuries, and their
subjectivity in defining these occurrences. Even though the survey enumerator may remind respondents
of the definition of occupational accidents and injuries used, their own perception of the occurrences still
plays an important role. In this sense, administrative records, especially insurance records, may have a
more consistent identification of occupational accidents and injuries, since the insurance scheme must
apply a strict and coherent definition to decide on the compensation of accidents and injuries.

Also, in household surveys, one member of the sampled household will often provide the required
information on all the members of the household, and it is possible that the respondent would not know
with precision the occupational safety and health information of the other persons in the household.
The main disadvantage of household surveys as a source of occupational safety and health statistics is
that, due to the relatively low frequency of occupational injuries, the sampling size would often not enable
the production of reliable estimates. Furthermore, household surveys entail sampling errors, the extent of
which depends on the sample design. In particular, estimates for small groups or areas might have limited
reliability due to their low coverage in the sample, particularly for rare occurrences such as occupational
injuries.

As the information is collected directly from individuals (household members), household surveys can only
yield information on aspects of occupational safety and health known to the workers interviewed. The
most common items collected are the number of non-fatal occupational injuries suffered and the work
days lost due to them. Since a worker may incur several occupational injuries, the questionnaire should
ideally inquire on the number of injuries incurred per worker, with a view to producing both data on the
number of workers having incurred injuries, and the total number of injuries. It is more difficult to compile
data on fatal occupational injuries from household surveys, although relevant questions can be asked to
proxy respondents for that purpose.

It is necessary to note the critical importance of the formulation of questions on occupational safety and
health. The wording of the questions will determine to a great extent the accuracy of the results. When
interpreting the resulting statistics, it is essential to bear in mind the question or questions used to
compile the data, as they determine what the data actually refer to. The question design also influences
data comparability across countries, as not all questions would obtain exactly the same type of
information.

Box 2 presents some examples of questions used to compile information on occupational safety and
health in labour force surveys in various countries.
  Box 2. Examples of questions on occupational safety and health in labour force surveys

Bangladesh – Labour Force Survey 2017

 In the last 12 months have you been hurt in  During the last 12 months have you been
any accident while working that caused you exposed to any of the following hazards at
injury or illness? (Include accidents that took work? Check all that apply:
place while commuting to/from work). o Dust, fumes, loud noise or vibration
▢ Yes ▢ No o Fire, gas, flames
o Extreme cold or heat
 Did any of the injuries result in your being
o Dangerous tools knives, blades, etc.
absent from work /school, or unable to work/
o Working too much below or above the
attend school, for at least one day, apart from
surface of the earth
the day of the accident?
o Work in water / pond / river
▢ Yes ▢ No
o Workplace too dark or confined /
 Did the injuries seriously restrict your work or Insufficient ventilation
activities even though you were not absent o Chemicals (pesticides, glues, etc.)
from work or unable to work? o Explosives
▢ Yes ▢ No o Others (specify) _____________

 How many of these injuries did you have in the  During the last 12 months, have you been
last 12 months? __________ subjected to the following at work? Check all
that apply:
 In the last 12 months how many days were
o Constantly shouted at/repeatedly insulted
you absent from work due to injuries
o Beaten /physically hurt
sustained from accidents? (If no days away
o Sexually abused (touched)
from work write 00, If it is impossible to return to
o Others (specify) ____________
work due to accident then write 99).

Liberia – Labour Force Survey 2017

 Have you ever been hurt in an accident while
▢ Current main job ▢ Current second job ▢
working that caused you personal injury or
Usual main job ▢ Usual second job ▢ Other
illness? ▢ Yes ▢ No
(specify)
 Have you had any such accidents in the last 12
 Did this injury result in you being absent or
months? (Do not count commuting accidents
unable to work, for at least one day, apart
occurring between home and place of
from the day of the accident? ▢ Yes ▢ No
work/training). ▢ Yes ▢ No
 How many calendar days were you (or are you
 In which of your jobs were you working at the
likely to be) away from work because of the
time of the accident? (if more than one accident,
injury? _____________
consider only the most serious one).

Malawi – Labour Force Survey 2012

 Have you ever been involved in any accident  In which of your jobs were you working at the
while working that caused personal injury or time of the accident? (if more than one accident,
illness? (Do not count commuting accidents consider only the most serious one).
occurring between home and place of ▢ Current main job ▢ Current second job
work/training). ▢ Yes ▢ No ▢ Other (specify)

 Did you receive any compensation?  How many calendar days were you or are you
▢ Yes ▢ No likely to be away from work because of the
injury? ______
 Have you had any such accidents in the last 12
months? ▢ Yes ▢ No
  Box 2. Examples of questions on occupational safety and health in labour force surveys
(continued)

Pakistan – Labour Force Survey 2017/2018

 In the past 12 months, did….. receive any o None
occupational injury/disease that caused to
 What were the unsafe conditions causing the
take time off work and/or consulted a doctor?
accident/disease?
▢ Only one ▢ More than one (Specify how
o Unguarded or inadequately guarded
many) ▢ None
o Defective tool, equipment or material
In case of more than one injury/disease all
o Unsafe design or construction
following questions should be repeated for each
o Poor illumination
separate occupational injury/disease.
o Inadequate ventilation
 What was the unsafe act that caused the o Improper clothing and footwear
accident/disease? o Non-provision of necessary protection
o Operating without authority equipment
o Excess speed o Poor house keeping
o Horse play o Slippery surfaces
o Failure of safety devices o Other (Specify)
o Using unsafe equipment or equipment
 How soon was … able to go back to
unsafely
work/resume normal activities after the
o Taking unsafe position
accident/disease?
o Disobeying instruction
o Still not at work/have not resumed normal
o Failure to use the provided personal
activities
protective equipment
o Will never be able to go back to
o Unsafe loading or stacking
work/resume normal activities
o Wrong order of supervisor (Specify what
o On the same day as the accident/disease
and by whom)
occurred
o Unsafe act by fellow employee (Specify
o On the first day after the accident/disease
what and by whom)
o On the second day after the
o Unsafe act of outsiders (Specify what and
accident/disease
by whom)
o 3 to 7 days after the accident/disease
o Other (Specify)
o 8 to 15 days after the accident/disease
 Did…receive treatment for injury / disease or o 16 to 22 days after the accident/disease
have to take any time off work because of it? o 23 days to 1 month after the
(Please include any time off work no matter how accident/disease
short it was). o 2 to 4 months after the accident/disease
o Hospitalized o 5 to 7 months after the accident/disease
o Consulted a doctor, nurse or other o 8 to 12 months after the accident/disease
medical professional o Don’t Know
o Took time off work

Zambia – Quarterly Labour Force Survey 2018

 Has (NAME) fallen ill or been injured in the last o Consequences on work: ▢ Permanently
12 months? ▢ Yes ▢ No disabled ▢ Prevented from work
permanently ▢ Stopped work temporarily
 How often was (NAME) injured or ill in the last
▢ Changed jobs
twelve months? ▢ Once or twice ▢ 3 to 5 times
o Consequences in schooling: ▢ Stopped
▢ More than five times
school temporarily ▢ Prevented from
 How serious was the most recent illness or schooling permanently ▢ Not very serious
injury (NAME) got?
  Box 2. Examples of questions on occupational safety and health in labour force surveys
(continued)

 Thinking of the past 12 months has (NAME)

employed ▢ Same day ▢ Less than three
suffered any occupational injury/ disease
consecutive days after the accident ▢ More than
resulting from an accident at work or in the
three consecutive days after the accident
course of your work? ▢ Yes ▢ No
 Specify number of days it took (NAME) to
 Which of the following did (NAME) suffer?
resume normal duty after the accident: _______
Check all that apply:
o Superficial injuries or open wounds  Does (NAME) carry heavy loads in her/his daily
o Fractures activities (work, school, etc)? ▢
o Dislocations, sprains or strains Always/ often ▢ Sometimes ▢ Selfdom/Rare ▢
o Burns, corrosions, scalds or frostbite Never
o Breathing problems
 Has (NAME) ever operated machinery/
o Eye problems
equipment in any activity? ▢ Yes ▢ No
o Skin problems
▢ Don’t know
o Stomach problems/diarrhoea
o Fever  What type of tools, equipment or machines
o Extreme fatigue does (NAME) use at work? __________
o Other (specify)
 Is (NAME) exposed to any of the following at
 Thinking about (NAME)’s most serious work?
illness/injury, how did this/these affect o Dust, fumes
(NAME)’s work/schooling? ▢ Not serious- did o Fire, gas, flames, extreme temperatures,
not stop schooling/ work ▢ Stopped work for humidity
a while ▢ Stopped work completely ▢ Stopped o Loud noise levels or damaging vibrations
school for a short while ▢ Stopped school o Snake bite/ insect stings (poisonous)
completely o Dangerous tools (knives etc.)
o Work underground
 How many occupational injuries has (NAME)
o Work at dangerous heights
had in the last 12 months that have kept
o Work in water/ lake/ pond/ river
(NAME) away from normal job for more than
o Workplace too dark or in confined spaces
one day not counting the day of the accident?
o Insufficient ventilation
▢ Once or twice ▢ 3 to 5 times ▢ More than
o Chemicals (pesticides, glues, etc.)
five times
o Explosives
 Where was (NAME) when the accident took o Other things, processes or conditions bad
place? ▢ In the usual work area in the for your health or safety
establishment/unit ▢ Somewhere else in the o Not applicable
establishment/unit ▢ In the usual work area
 Has (NAME) ever been subject to the following
away from the establishment/no fixed work
at work? Check all that apply:
area ▢ On work-related travel ▢ Other
▢ Constantly shouted at ▢ Repeatedly
(Specify) ▢ Not known
insulted ▢ Beaten/ physically hurt ▢ Sexually
 How soon was (NAME) able to resume work or abused (touched or done things that you don’t
normal duty after the accident? ▢ Still off paid want) ▢ Other (Specify).
work ▢ Was casual employee ▢ Self-
In some cases, instead of adding a section on occupational safety and health in the core labour force
survey questionnaire (such as the ones presented in Box 2), an ad-hoc module on occupational safety and
health is attached to a specific round of the labour force survey (but not to all rounds). This provides
household survey data on occupational safety and health for a given period in time or with a certain
regularity without over-burdening the survey questionnaire in all rounds. With this strategy, labour market
topics for which it is crucial to have reliable data but not necessarily with a high frequency can be
alternated for inclusion in the labour force survey. An example of this is provided by the Irish Quarterly
National Household Survey, which included a module on accidents and illnesses in the first quarters of
2003, 2007 and 2011.16 The United Kingdom also has two annual modules added to its Labour Force
Survey: the “Workplace Injury Module” and the “Self-reported Work-related Illness Survey Module”.17

To foster the accuracy of respondents in labour force or other types of household surveys, the use of
several questions on occupational safety and health matters (as in the examples provided in Box 2) would
serve as a quality check.

It is also rather common for the question on the reasons for absence from work typically included in
labour force surveys (asked to employed persons absent from work during the survey reference period) to
include occupational accidents, injuries or diseases as a possible answer. This remains true even in cases
where no questions are asked specifically on the occurrence of accidents or injuries, allowing to still have
some information on their impact on work days lost.

4.4. Combining different sources to pool their strengths

No data source can fulfil all data needs. Each type of source has its own methodology, coverage and
characteristics. Each type of source also has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, combining
different types of sources is a good way to overcome their drawbacks by pooling their strong points.

More specifically, administrative data and sample surveys have different methodologies and
characteristics, mostly stemming from the fact that their design follows different objectives. Their scope
and coverage also tends to be different, in terms of the geographic areas, economic activities,
establishments and types of workers covered. Thus, data from administrative records and survey data are
often not strictly comparable. They are also not interchangeable, since they often inform on different
items, but in the absence of one, the other is a valuable source of information. Ideally though, these two
types of data sources would be combined to complement each other.

As previously stated, the coverage of administrative records with data on occupational safety and health
may not be fully comprehensive, due to under-reporting of accidents, the exclusion of some workers from
the compensation scheme, or the record covering only some country regions or economic activities. In
such cases, administrative data can be supplemented by data derived from household surveys and/or
establishment surveys, to obtain a more exhaustive coverage of all workers and economic activities.

Likewise, when selecting the sample for a survey, in the absence of a recent census, a suitable
administrative record or register can serve as a sample frame. The variables in the record or register can
be used to stratify the population for the sample.

16
The list of modules included in the Irish Quarterly National Household Survey is available at:
https://www.cso.ie/en/qnhs/qnhsmethodology/. The questions included in the 2011 Accidents and Illnesses module is
available at: https://www.cso.ie/en/qnhs/qnhsmethodology/qnhsaccidentsandillnessesq12011questionnaire/.
17
More information on these modules of the United Kingdom’s Labour Force Survey is available at:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/lfs/technicalnote.htm
Also, combining administrative data and survey data can provide a probe for accuracy of the occupational
safety and health measures, and allow to correct for under-reporting or non-response.

It is also possible that several administrative records exist with different geographical coverage or
covering different economic activities. Ideally, all records pertaining to the same topic kept by different
agencies should be linked and/or consolidated (using unique unit identifiers, for example). This would
facilitate the expansion of the coverage of the statistics, contributing to a more comprehensive and
representative dataset by linking together records covering different regions of the country or economic
activities.

4.5. Other sources

In the absence of a recent household or establishment survey, coupled with a lack of official procedures to
produce reliable statistics from administrative records, other sources and methods can provide some
insights into occupational safety and health issues. In particular, the information available, knowledge on
the national context and some conscious assumptions can be used to derive estimated, imputed or
modelled labour market data.

The methods used for estimation and imputation must be robust in order to ensure data quality and the
reliability of the results, just as any model used to derive labour statistics should be thoroughly tested and
reviewed.18

5. Challenges and considerations

5.1. Data availability

Perhaps the main challenge in the field of occupational safety and health statistics is the lack of data
availability. Indeed, it is not very common for occupational safety and health matters to be included in
establishment or household surveys, and although administrative records are ubiquitous, they are not
always kept following strict guidelines and they are not always regularly updated. For administrative data
to become statistical data, the maintenance of the record has to follow certain procedures to ensure the
quality, validity and consistency of the information. And even in cases where reliable data are available
from certain administrative records, the agencies with the competency to handle, analyse and use the data
do not always have access to them.

In the quest to ensure the occupational safety and health of all workers, data transparency and the public
availability of data are of utmost importance. Policy makers need to be able to access reliable data to
develop and evaluate occupational safety and health policies and preventive strategies, but the public
availability of data can inform other key agents as well. For instance, researchers and journalists may cast
light on crucial occupational safety and health concerns by analysing and communicating on statistics.
Also, awareness of occupational safety and health issues can foster the commitment of governments and
social partners to actively participate in securing safe and healthy working environments. Social partners
(including unions and employers’ organizations) may become aware of the risks and hazards of their own
workplaces thanks to available data, and promote action to ensure their own safety.

18
From the Quick Guide on Sources and Uses of Labour Statistics.
5.2. Variety of possible sources

The variety of possible sources of data on occupational injuries (administrative records, establishment
surveys and household surveys) hinders the comparability of data across countries. These source types
follow different methodologies and even provide information on different specific concepts.

In fact, even data derived from administrative records are not strictly comparable, since various types of
records follow different rules and are maintained by different agencies. As mentioned before, two main
sources of occupational safety and health data are records of notifications by employers to the competent
authority and insurance records of the authority compensating the victims. These two would clearly yield
different results, since it is possible that not all injuries that were compensated to workers were reported
by the employer and vice versa. It is also possible that these records have a different geographical
coverage or that they cover different economic activities or groups of workers.

It is important to note that there may be a difference in units used from source to source: insurance
records and notifications records will most likely give the number of cases of injuries (if one worker had
suffered from several injuries throughout the year, he/she would appear as many times as the number of
injuries suffered), whereas information derived from household surveys would refer to the number of
persons having suffered from at least one injury (unless the survey reliably collects information on how
many injuries each person suffered and the results are aggregated).

5.3. Data comparability across countries

In addition to the variety of possible sources, many other factors contribute to hindering the international
comparability of occupational safety and health statistics. These factors include (but are not limited to)
differences across countries in the legal framework governing occupational safety and health, social
protection systems, health insurance systems, the composition of the labour market (in terms of the
prevalence of informal employment and self-employment and the sectoral composition, for instance), and
the labour inspection resources.

The study of occupational safety and health at the international level and comparisons across countries
and regions of occupational accidents, injuries and diseases are crucial to the assessment of workers’
undue exposure to occupational risks and hazards. Having a wider perspective allows for the better
understanding of occupational safety and health concerns in the national context. Other countries’
experiences can provide useful examples of effective policies, systems and strategies to prevent
occupational accidents, injuries and diseases.

However, all factors hindering the international comparability of data must be taken into account when
doing cross-country occupational safety and health studies.

5.4. Data comparability over time and trend analysis

The analysis of trends in occupational safety and health measures (such as occupational injury rates, for
instance) provides information on the progress or deterioration in occupational safety and health,
revealing the effectiveness of prevention measures and the eventual need for further regulation.

It must be noted, however, that indicators on occupational accidents and injuries are volatile, since
unexpected but significant accidents or national calamities bring about strong annual fluctuations. Hence,
short-term trend analyses of occupational safety and health measures are rather difficult. Instead, trend
analyses should better focus on studying the underlying longer-term trend behind such sharp changes.
5.5. Importance of data disaggregation

Data on occupational safety and health are essential for planning preventive strategies because they
signal areas of particular concern. With a view to designing more targeted prevention strategies and
related policies, it is recommended to produce and analyse occupational safety and health indicators
disaggregated by various items of interest. Disaggregation brings to light the groups of workers,
economic activities or occupations with the highest risk of work-related accidents, injuries and diseases.
They can then be targeted more effectively for inspection visits and the development of regulations and
procedures, as well as for safety campaigns.

For example, having statistics on fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries by economic activity, by
occupation and by region within the country can be very enlightening. It casts light on the particular areas
that policy makers should focus on in terms of improving safety measures at the workplace, by providing
specific information on economic activities, occupations or regions more prone to occupational accidents
and diseases.

What is more, having information on the characteristics of the workers who were victims of occupational
accidents can reveal which groups of workers are particularly exposed to undue risks at work. For
instance, statistics on workers incurring occupational injuries by sex, age, migrant status, status in
employment, and type of contract can be instrumental in protecting the most exposed workers from
safety and health deficits.

Indeed, an ILOSTAT blog based on ILOSTAT occupational injuries statistics found that in almost all
countries with data available, the number of occupational injuries per 100’000 workers was higher for men
than for women, both for fatal and non-fatal injuries. One possible explanation for this gender dimension
of risk exposure could be the concentration or over-representation of male workers in the most unsafe
sectors. This points to the need for appropriate regulations and targeted measures to minimize risk
exposure and ensure the safest working environment possible for all workers, taking into account the
specificities of each sector of activity. Indeed, looking at the distribution of occupational injuries by sector
of activity, it becomes clear that some sectors are far more hazardous than others for workers, at least in
terms of the risk of being in a work accident. In general terms, the sectors that seem to concentrate more
fatal work accidents are manufacturing, construction, and transportation and storage. In fact, in over two-
thirds of countries with available data, each of these sectors is among the top three sectors in terms of the
share of fatal occupational injuries. To a lesser (although still noteworthy) degree, work-related accidents
also often arise from agricultural activities. In a little less than a quarter of all countries with data,
agriculture appears among the top three sectors in terms of the share of fatal occupational injuries. 19

However, another possible explanation for this gender dimension of occupational accidents is the
traditional and inherent gender bias in reporting, monitoring and data collection procedures for
occupational safety and health matters as well as in occupational safety and health research. In fact, since
occupational research traditionally focuses on male-dominated industries, risks, hazards and accidents of
these industries are better known and better addressed. For instance, efforts to ensure the safety of
workers doing heavy lifting in construction are common, often leading to regulation, but very little is
known (and done) about the risks and impact of heavy lifting in care work (whether paid or unpaid). Also,
although statistics on occupational injuries reflect a higher likelihood for men to be in an occupational
accident, there is an impairing lack of disaggregated data on occupational diseases and risk factors. This is
a reason for concern since the focus of occupational safety and health research on male-dominated
industries also implies a knowledge gap for risk factors particularly affecting women, or affecting women
differently. Typically, for instance, the benchmarks for safe levels of radiation, chemicals and dusts in

Excerpt from the blog. Blog available at https://ilostat.ilo.org/covid-19-and-the-new-meaning-of-safety-and-health-at-

19

work/.
relevant industries are established taking men as reference, when these levels could still be unsafe for
women.20

The Global Indicator Framework to monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals states
that indicator 8.8.1 on the rate of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries per 100’000 workers must be
disaggregated by sex and migrant status. Having information on nationals and migrants separately allows
to assess differences in the extent to which these two population groups are exposed to work-related risks
and thereby to determine the need for targeted campaigns or policies.

Indeed, the abovementioned ILOSTAT blog found that in 73 per cent of countries with data in ILOSTAT, the
incidence rate of fatal occupational injuries was higher for migrant workers than for non-migrant workers
(either EU or non-EU migrants in the case of EU countries). This suggests that migrant workers are more
exposed to occupational risks and hazards, which may be linked to the characteristics of the types of jobs
they occupy. In order to ensure that no one is left behind, targeted measures are needed to promote and
extend occupational safety and health to all workers.

There are many challenges surrounding the compilation of occupational safety and health statistics for
migrants, especially when they are not covered by relevant compensation schemes, when they are over-
represented in informal employment or when they are not covered by the labour inspection. However, the
compilation of such data is necessary to ensure the occupational safety and health of all workers. Thus,
strong efforts are needed to foster the production of occupational safety and health statistics by migrant
status.

5.6. Impact of the coverage of the statistics

When interpreting occupational safety and health statistics, it is crucial to keep in mind what the statistics
refer to and what they cover. The statistics may be highly reliable, but only within their coverage and
scope. Interpreting them as if they were representative of the country as a whole, of all workplaces and all
workers when they are not, could be highly misleading.

In particular, it is important to know if the source of statistics (whether it is an administrative record, an

establishment survey, or a household survey) excludes some areas of the country, some economic
activities, some establishment sizes, some categories of status in employment and/or some groups of
workers.

For example, the administrative records of an insurance company covering construction workers with
formal jobs would be a valuable source of statistics on occupational injuries, but those statistics should be
interpreted within their limited scope. They refer to compensated injuries of workers in the construction
sector who have a formal job and are insured by that company. In order to have a better understanding of
occupational injuries in the country, other sources of data (covering the remaining sectors of economic
activity, workers in informal employment and workers registered with other –or no – insurance schemes)
should complement this one.

Moreover, where there is reason to believe that under-reporting of occupational accidents, fatal and non-
fatal occupational injuries and/or occupational diseases is common, figures should be interpreted with
care, taking this into account.

20
Criado Pérez, Caroline. 2019. Invisible Women – Exposing data bias in a world designed for men.
5.7. Analysis of occupational safety and health statistics within a given
context and through a coherent set of indicators

From all the points raised above, it follows that it is imperative to take into account the context when
interpreting occupational safety and health statistics. Indeed, the context (in terms of the legal framework,
the social protection system, the health insurance system, the configuration and performance of the
labour market, the economy, the state of social dialogue, and the role of the labour inspection) greatly
determines key features and characteristics of occupational safety and health, and of occupational safety
and health statistics.

In order to do a complete analysis of the state of occupational safety and health, it is necessary to
interpret all the relevant indicators together, as a coherent set, and not to refer solely to one specific
measure. For instance, it is important to know the number, prevalence and incidence of fatal and non-fatal
occupational injuries as well as of occupational diseases, with information on the causes of the injuries and
diseases and key characteristics of the workers and their workplaces. It is also crucial to have data on the
consequences of occupational accidents, injuries and diseases, in terms of work days lost, income lost,
production lost, burden of disease in mortality rates, etc.

To be understood within their context and to identify where the biggest challenges to occupational safety
and health are, occupational safety and health indicators should be interpreted alongside other key labour
market indicators, such as the unemployment rate, the composite measure of labour underutilization, the
share of informal employment, the social protection coverage rate, the trade union density rate, the
employers’ organizations density rate, and the labour inspection rate. The study of occupational safety and
health should be positioned within a broader labour market study, taking into account the characteristics
of the employed population, its composition by sex, age, migrant status, status in employment, economic
activity, occupation, etc., the prevalence of informality and unemployment, the emergence of non-
standard forms of employment, and the share of casual workers, among others. The staff and resources of
the labour inspection determine how well equipped the labour inspection is to monitor occupational safety
and health issues, thus, relevant indicators are also crucial in the analysis of occupational safety and health
statistics.

The corresponding national legal framework also plays a key role not only on the state of occupational
safety and health, but also on the availability, quality and coverage of occupational safety and health
statistics. A number of legal framework indicators can be added to the analysis to provide valuable context
information, for instance on the obligation of employers to register employees, the obligation of
employers to report accidents (where applicable), the mandate of the labour inspection, the articles
governing the social protection and the public health systems, freedom of association and the right to
unionization, etc.

The need to analyse labour market indicators as a coherent set rather than in an isolated manner is
recognized in the creation of consistent indicator frameworks, such as the Decent Work Indicators and the
Sustainable Development Goals Global Indicator Framework.

5.8. Need for coordination across agencies

The compilation, dissemination and use of occupational safety and health statistics involves many different
agencies within a country. Thus, to realize the full potential of occupational safety and health statistics it is
crucial to count on strong institutional cooperation. Typically, within a country, the national statistical
office holds the statistical mandate and expertise (including designing and conducting sample surveys),
while the labour inspectorate monitors occupational accidents and injuries, employers report accidents to
the labour ministry and different areas of the social insurance (or private insurances) deal with
compensating fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries. Information on occupational diseases is usually
compiled by the health ministry or other competent bodies. Therefore, it is imperative to have a coherent
system of occupational safety and health statistics where all the agencies involved cooperate and
collaborate, pooling together their sources of information and their expertise to inform effective policies
on occupational safety and health matters.

6. Concluding remarks
Decent work is safe and healthy work. Occupational accidents, injuries and diseases have a significant
human, social and economic cost. We must take action to prevent them, by ensuring that all workplaces
are safe and healthy.

The central role of occupational safety and health in decent work and sustainable development was
recognized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and particularly on Target 8.8, which refers
to the protection of labour rights and the promotion of safe and secure working environments for all
workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.

Despite great efforts made in the last decades to promote safety and health at work in some parts of the
world, work accidents and occupational diseases are still far too common.

The current pandemic is reminding us all of the importance of occupational safety and health, and the
dangers of exposure to undue health risks.

Achieving the goal of universal occupational safety and health requires reliable data to monitor trends,
identify occupational risks and inform the design of policies and strategies to prevent occupational
accidents, injuries and diseases. Unfortunately, the field of occupational safety and health statistics faces
several major challenges, including related to data availability, quality, timeliness, coverage and
comparability. To overcome these challenges, it is essential to build a consolidated national system of
occupational safety and health statistics, pulling together the expertise of all relevant agencies in the
country.

The true value of occupational safety and health statistics lies in their analysis and use to inform policy
formulation and safety measures. The transparency of the methodology used to derive occupational
safety and health statistics is key in ensuring their correct interpretation. Information sharing, not only on
the statistics per se but also on their methodology and coverage, leads to the sound use of occupational
safety and health indicators.

We need not only reliable, timely, and consistent statistics on work accidents, injuries and diseases, but
also to reach the full analytical potential of those statistics as well, to be able to ensure occupational safety
and health for workers around the globe.
7. References
Criado Pérez, Caroline. 2019. Invisible Women – Exposing data bias in a world designed for men.

ILO. 1947. Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81).

ILO. 1981. Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155).

ILO. 1985. Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160).

ILO. 1998. Resolution concerning statistics of occupational injuries (resulting from occupational accidents).
Adopted by the Sixteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians (1998).

ILO. 2002. Protocol of 2002 to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention (P155).

ILO. 2012. Estimating the economic costs of occupational injuries and illnesses in developing countries: Essential
information for decision-makers.

ILO. 2012. Occupational injuries statistics from household surveys and establishment surveys.

ILO. 2013. Decent Work Indicators, Concepts and Definitions. Second version, draft. Chapter 8 on Safe work
environment.

ILO. 2016. Guide on the Harmonization of Labour Inspection Statistics.

ILO. 2017. Quick Guide on Sources and Uses of Labour Statistics.

ILO. 2018. Decent Work and the Sustainable Development Goals: A Guidebook on SDG Labour Market Indicators.
Section 2.1.7 on Occupational Injuries. Second edition to be released soon.

ILO. 2019. Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190).

ILO. 2020. COVID-19 and the new meaning of safety and health at work. ILOSTAT website – ILOSTAT blog.

ILO. ILOSTAT website - Indicator description: Labour inspection.

ILO. ILOSTAT website - Indicator description: Occupational injuries.

ILO. ILOSTAT website – Topic Safety and Health at Work.

ILO. LEGOSH - Global database on occupational safety and health legislation.

ILO. Online Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety.

ILO: PEMBER, R. 1998. Compilation and presentation of labour statistics based on administrative records.

Statistics Finland. 2004. Use of Registers and Administrative Data Sources for Statistical Purposes - Best
Practices of Statistics Finland.

UN. 2011. Using Administrative and Secondary Sources for Official Statistics: A Handbook of Principles and
Practices. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

UN. Website on the Sustainable Development Goals.

United Nations Statistics Division. Metadata for SDG indicator 8.8.1: “Frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal
occupational injuries, by sex and migrant status”. Sustainable Development Goal indicators website - SDG
Indicators Metadata repository.
This publication is a product of the Vision Zero Fund (VZF) project "Filling data and knowledge gaps on
OSH in GSCs to strengthen the model of shared responsibility" funded by the European Union. The
VZF is implemented within the framework of the ILO Flagship Programme Safety + Health for All.