The Swedish Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljöverket) has published its annual report on workplace accidents and occupational diseases for the year 2025. The statistics presented in this report are based on reports of workplace accidents and occupational diseases recorded and processed between 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.

Workplace Accidents: Nearly Identical Incidence Rates for Women and Men

Approximately 38,900 work-related accidents resulting in lost time were reported among employees and self-employed workers, which is 3% less than the previous year.

This decrease primarily affected men, narrowing the gap in accident rates between men and women: in 2025, approximately 20,300 work-related accidents were reported among men and just over 18,600 among women. The report highlights that “for the first time, the relative frequencies among men and women are nearly at the same level.”

• Men aged 16 to 24 remain the most affected, while the 60–64 age group has the highest incidence rate for women.
• Falls remain the leading cause of workplace accidents for women, while loss of control of machinery, tools, or vehicles is the leading cause for men.
• The transportation and warehousing sector accounts for the highest number of lost-time accidents among women (17.3 per 1,000), and the water, waste, and wastewater treatment sector accounts for the highest among men (16.4 per 1,000).

Occupational Diseases: Sharp Increase in Reports Among Women

Approximately 17,400 occupational diseases were reported in 2025, a 29% increase from the previous year. The increase is more pronounced among women, who account for 70% of reported occupational diseases.

The number of reports linked to “organizational and social factors,” such as a fast-paced work environment or a heavy workload, has been rising steadily since 2023.

These reports are particularly common among women in the healthcare and personal care, social services, and education sectors. “This number is now at its highest level ever recorded over the past twenty years,” according to the report.

45 Fatal Accidents in 2025

In 2025, 45 people lost their lives in workplace accidents among the Swedish workforce: 42 employees (32 men and 10 women) and 3 self-employed workers (all men). It should be noted that these figures include the 7 people who died in the shooting at Risbergska School in Örebro in February 2025.

The report highlights that the number of fatal workplace accidents among employees declined sharply between the 1950s and 1970s, then continued to fall through 2010 before generally leveling off.

Number of fatal workplace accidents per 100,000 employees between 1955 and 2025.

*Includes the 143 victims of the Estonia ferry disaster in 1994

Learn more