The Influence of the Privatization Process on Accident Rates in the Forestry Sector in Poland.

Witold Grzywiński,Tomasz Jelonek,Arkadiusz Tomczak,Joanna Skonieczna

doi:10.3390/ijerph17093055

Witold Grzywiński, Tomasz Jelonek + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093055

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the changes in accident rates resulting from the privatization of forest operations. Data from the years 1990–2017 were obtained from the Statistical Forestry Yearbooks issued by Statistics Poland, and were analyzed for two periods: the time of intensive privatization (1991–2002) and the post-privatization period (2003–2017). The data from 1990 were treated as a benchmark. There were 14,626 accidents in total, of which 236 (1.61%) were fatal. The non-fatal accident rate in the whole forestry industry showed a decreasing trend in the study period (t = 2.27, p < 0.05). In the case of the fatal accident rate we can observe an upward trend; in the period of intensive privatization the average annual fatality rate was 0.11, and after privatization it was 0.18 (t = −2.68, p < 0.05). In both periods the fatality rate was twice as high in the private forestry sector as in the public sector. The number of working days lost declined in the public sector and increased in the private sector. An accident in the private sector resulted in 20 days’ longer absence than one in the public sector. The study confirms that despite economic transition, accident rates in Polish forestry remain a serious issue. The main problem to be addressed is the increase in the fatal accident rate, especially in the private sector.

Highlights

According to the International Labor Organization definition, an occupational accident is defined as unanticipated and unplanned events that cause a personal injury, disease, or death [1]
The aim of this paper is to investigate long-term patterns in accident occurrence in Polish forestry and to analyze the changes in accident rates resulting from structural transitions, reduction of employment, and the inception of private forestry companies
An analysis of accidents occurring in Polish forestry in the years 1990–2017 was carried out based on data obtained from the Statistical Yearbook of Forestry (SYF), published annually by Statistics

Summary

Introduction

According to the International Labor Organization definition, an occupational accident is defined as unanticipated and unplanned events that cause a personal injury, disease, or death [1]. The performance of work inevitably entails the possibility of the occurrence of accidents. Accident risk depends on many factors, including the type and number of occupational threats present in the working environment, as well as personal factors. Apart from human costs, occupational accidents have enormous socioeconomic impacts around the world. Over 264 million non-fatal occupational accidents requiring at least four days of absence from work occur annually, with 350,000 fatalities [2]. On a European scale, Eurostat reports that in 2017 there were over 3.3 million non-fatal accidents at work and 3552 fatal accidents in the EU-28 [3]

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