More than 150 work-related accidents a year

Every year 2 percent of the employed labour force in the Netherlands are involved in a work-related accident. This is the equivalent of just over 150 thousand people.

More men

Men are more often victims of work-related accidents than women. Younger people, too are more likely to have an accident at work than older workers.

People involved in work-related accidents by sex and age, 2000/2002

More risks in engineering jobs

Work-related accidents mostly occur in engineering jobs. Most accidents occur in lower metal engineering (6.7 percent). This branch includes constructional fitters and sheet metal workers. Lower skilled process engineers, such as butchers, and intermediate level precision engineers are also more likely to have an accident than other workers.

Open injuries

Nearly one in three people who have an accident at work received open injuries or cuts. Nearly one quarter suffer bruising. More serious forms of injury such as poisoning or amputation are much less frequent.

Injuries from work-related accidents, 2000/2002

Time off work

Thirty-six percent of people involved in work accidents go straight back to work after the accident. Other victims have to stay home for a time. More than a quarter were off work for more than a month. On fifth stayed at home for between two and four weeks and just over half the victims went back to work within two weeks.

Ingrid Beckers

Source: StatLine