Between January and June 2023, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority reported one fatal accident at work.

This compares to nine fatal accidents at work in the corresponding period of 2022, the National Statistics Office said on Monday.

The NSO's data also shows a drop in non-fatal accidents in the first half of the year.

The number of claims of non-fatal accidents at work decreased by 102 - or 8.8 per cent -  in the first half of 2023 when compared to the corresponding period in 2022.

Administrative records show that 1,062 people were involved in a non-fatal accident at work in the first six months.

The majority of these non-fatal accidents occurred in the manufacturing sector (14 per cent).

Another 13.5 per cent were reported in the transportation and storage sector, followed by the human health and social work activities sector (12.3 per cent).

A third of those involved in an accident at work were consequently absent from work for three days or less, while those absent from work for 21 days or more amounted to 18.5 per cent.

And three out of 10 were aged between 35 and 44.

Nearly three-fourths of those involved in a non-fatal accident at work were Maltese.

Almost one-third (30 per cent) of the injuries affected the victim's back, including the spine and vertebra.

Wounds, superficial injuries, dislocations, sprains and strains were the most common type of injuries.

Graphic: National Statistics Office