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In 2014, the number of accidents at work remained below the one million mark, at 956,000. This number has never been as low. The frequency rate was stable at 24 accidents per 1,000 full-time workers.
These results come from the statistical report “Stand von Sicherheit und Gesundheit bei der Arbeit” (SUGA – The current state of occupational health and safety) that the BAuA institute published recently for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS). This report covers trends in accidents and the number of occupational diseases, which are conventional indicators for measuring the quality of occupational safety and health.
The number of retirements due to diminished working capacity was 169,281 in 2014, versus 175,135 in 2013, i.e. a 3.3% decline. The biggest decline, by about 8%, was for musculoskeletal disorders. In contrast, retirements due to mental and behavioural disorders declined by only 2.4%, and these are still by far the most common cause of early retirement (43.1%).
In 2014, 2,469 people died as a consequence of an occupational disease, and this represents 112 more deaths than the previous year. Despite the ban on asbestos enacted in 1993, around two-thirds of these deaths are still attributable to the use of materials containing asbestos.
Although the total number of occupational injuries reported in 2014 continued to decline, last year there were 33 more fatal occupational injuries than in 2013, primarily due to traffic accidents (+29). However, the number of fatal injuries occurring in the enterprise and on the way to work remained generally stable.
Report on the current state of occupational health and safety 2014 (in German)
