June 2021: What’s new in OSH standardisation?

Workers in the food industry run a higher risk of serious accidents at work than other occupational groups. The average risk over the period 2017-2021 was 9.7 serious accidents at work per 1,000 employees. It was 15.5 for butchers and 8.9 for machine operators, who suffered the most serious accidents at work. Bakers and confectioners, although less affected, were still affected, with a rate of 5.3.

In 2022, around 38,500 people received compensation for permanent disability due to an occupational disease. And nearly 13,000 workers (private sector and provincial or local administrations, APL) filed a claim for compensation; 211 deaths were recognised, 73% of which were due to asbestos, 17% to silicosis and 10% to other diseases. These are the findings of the Fedris “Statistical Report on Occupational Diseases” 2022.