Description of fatal occupational injury rates in five selected European Union countries: Austria, Finland, France, Spain and Sweden

Abstract

Background The aim of the paper was to describe occupational injury rates in five selected European Union countries, in order to detect some patterns in rate trends. Methods Fatal injury crude rates per country and year for the period were calculated using the number of fatal injuries, and the total of employment from the International Labour Organization database. Log-linear models were adjusted for each country, and annual change percentages were estimated. Results Rates have decreased in all selected countries. The magnitude of annual crude rate change percentages vary from −3.7 in Spain (1988–2001) to −6.7 in Sweden (1993–2001). Conclusion The observed fall of fatal occupational injury rates in all selected EU countries, jointly with other developed countries strengthen the hypothesis that trends could be real.