The downward trend in work-related accidents seen since the turn of the millennium has persisted, with one key figure last year declining to a third of what it was back then.

In 2019, a total of 3,220 injuries were reported among 251,398 employed people, according to data published in the Occupational Health and Safety Authority’s annual report. This translates to 1,281 accidents per 100,000 workers.

In contrast, when the OHSA was established in 2002, the injury rate was 3,580 per 100,000, with 4,963 injuries reported among a significantly smaller workforce of 137,863.

Since then, the figure has declined every year with the exception of 2006.

The data also includes annual fatalities but this has to be interpreted with a degree of caution due to the low numbers involved. Since 2010, the number of workplace deaths has fluctuated roughly between one and five, with some exceptions such as 2016 when seven fatalities were recorded.

Over the past five years, the highest rate of injury claims has come from the transport and storage sector – which incorporates land, air and water transport, warehousing and support activities for transportation and postal and courier activities – surpassing even the construction industry.

In 2014, the two categories were at par with 39 claims per 1,000 workers but last year the transport and storage sector registered 40 per 1,000 while the construction sector saw 27.

Malta’s occupational safety compares well to the EU in terms of non-fatal accidents, even though the latest data available is still for 2017.

According to Eurostat, in 2016 and 2017, the local rate of accidents per 100,000 employees – 1,000 – was below the EU average of 1,500. 

The largest number of complaints are related to construction

The rate is lower than the OHSA figure as under Eurostat’s methodology, only accidents resulting in at least four full calendar days of absence from work are recorded.

The largest number of complaints from the public received by the OHSA related to construction but they are mostly to do with noise, dust, hours of work, poor traffic management, environmental emissions and multiple other issues.

These do not fall within authority’s remit. As a result, they usually remain unaddressed.

This perennial issue, coupled with the spate of third-party building collapses during construction works registered last year, resulted in the establishment of the Building and Construction Agency.

In its report, the authority criticises architects for their approach to construction safety.

It referred to the “low” attendance for a seminar organised at the end of last year in collaboration with Kamra tal-Periti.

The poor turnout was on the same lines as a similar event held in 2018 targeting new architects and project management students, it pointed out.

“Such disregard may not only lead to serious consequences but would also reinforce the perception that the construction industry was characterised by a culture of lack of care in terms of designing and integrating occupational health and safety into a project,” the OHSA said.