Nearly 1,000 occupational accidents in last quarter

A total of 862 men and 116 women were injured at their workplace between October and December last year, according to data published by the National Statistics Office.

This means that 88.1 per cent of occupational injuries in the period under review affected men.

Quoting administrative data of the Social Security Department, the NSO's labour statistics unit said a large proportion of occupational injuries were reported in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

"About 35 per cent of the accidents, amounting to 337, occurred in the manufacturing sector, including the shipyards. Moreover, 151 accidents (15.4 per cent) occured in the construction sector," the NSO said.

It pointed out that over half the accidents were reported by craftsmen and tradesmen, adding that most accidents affected the upper part of the body. "The most typical of the accidents were wounds and superficial injuries, dislocations, sprains and strains."

Most of the injured worked in the southern harbour and northern harbour districts.

In the same period, three construction workers died at the workplace. In 2003, two construction workers died between October and December.