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Awork accident,workplace accident,occupational accident, oraccident at work is a "discrete occurrence in the course ofwork" leading to physical or mentaloccupational injury.[1] According to theInternational Labour Organization (ILO), more than 337 million accidents happen on the job each year, resulting, together withoccupational diseases, in more than 2.3 million deaths annually.[2]
The phrase "in the course of work" can include work-related accidents happening off the company's premises, and can include accidents caused by third parties, according toEurostat. The definition of work accident includes accidents occurring "while engaged in an economic activity, or at work, or carrying on the business of the employer" according to the ILO.[3]
The phrase "physical or mental harm" means anyinjury,disease, or death. Occupational accidents differ from occupational diseases as accidents are unexpected and unplanned occurrences (e.g.,mine collapse), while occupational diseases are "contracted as a result of an exposure over a period of time to risk factors arising from work activity" (e.g.,miner's lung).[4]
Incidents that fall within the definition of occupational accidents include cases ofacute poisoning, attacks by humans and animals, insects etc., slips andfalls on pavements or staircases,traffic collisions, and accidents on board means of transportation in the course of work, accidents in airports, stations and so on.
There is no consensus as to whethercommuting accidents (i.e. accidents on the way to work and while returning home after work) should be considered to be work accidents. The ESAW methodology excludes them; the ILO includes them in its conventions concerninghealth & safety at work, although it lists them as a separate category of accidents;[5] and some countries (e.g.,Greece) do not distinguish them from other work accidents.[6]
A fatal accident at work is defined as an accident which leads to the death of a victim. The time within which the death may occur varies among countries: inNetherlands an accident is registered as fatal if the victim dies during the same day that the accident happened, in Germany if death came within 30 days, whileBelgium,France and Greece set no time limit.[7]
Where the accidents involve multiple fatalities, they are often referred to asindustrial disasters.
Although many workplace accidents have relatively minor repercussions, which could result in just a paper cut or scratch, others can have more serious – and potentially fatal – consequences.[citation needed]
For instance, there are some industries in which individuals are more exposed to occupational hazards than others, such as theconstruction trade. This had the highest rate of fatal injuries out of all other industry sections in 2011/12. During this period,[8]falls accounted for 51% of construction injuries resulting in death, demonstrating that builders are more likely to fall from height than those who work in less dangerous locations, such as an office.[citation needed]
An independent watchdog – theHealth and Safety Executive (HSE) – aims to reduce the number of work-related fatalities and injuries within Great Britain, publishing statistics that show the different – and most common – types of reported workplace injuries across a range of sectors.[citation needed]
For example, the HSE reported that, between 2011 and 2012, incidents such as falls from height, becoming trapped by a falling structure, and beingstruck by a vehicle or moving object, were the reasons for the majority of fatalities to British workers.[9]
It was also revealed that slips, trips or falls were responsible for more than 50% of serious injuries to employees. Furthermore, the majority of incidents that resulted in employees taking more than three days off work – or affected their ability to perform their usual duties over this period – were caused by handling accidents.
Although some accidents at work can have minor effects, the cumulative impact of workplace injuries is significant, translating into an estimated loss of 70 million lost days of work and approximately 540 million days of lost production time in the U.S., in 2023.[10]
Accidents arise from unsafe behavior and/or unsafe conditions. An important factor is the safety climate orsafety culture of an organization. Safety culture concerns how workplace safety is managed, consisting of the shared attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and values among employees.[11] Faulty equipment can also cause serious personal injuries, a common example being accidents from faulty ladders. If the rubber feet are absent, the base of thealuminium stile can slip suddenly on a hard floor and the user can fall.
According to the Health and Safety Executive,[12] employers who implement suitable measures to prevent accidents in the workplace could reap a number of benefits. As well as reducing the number of injuries at work, managers could also:
Depending on the circumstances of a workplace accident, several different parties may be heldliable. These may include the employer, employees, property owner, manufacturer, or other third parties. For example, if it can be proven that an employer was negligent by allowing unsafe working conditions to persist, they may be held responsible for any resulting accidents or injuries.
During the 2015 shooting of the movieResident Evil: The Final Chapter,stuntwoman Olivia Jackson had her arm amputated after her motorbike crashed to a metal camera arm during a high-speed chase.[14]
Matilda Rapaport died from an avalanche while filming an advertisement for the 2016 video gameSteep.[15]
In 2021 cinematographerHalyna Hutchins wasfatally shot on the set of the filmRust when a live bullet was fired from a revolver that actorAlec Baldwin was using as a prop. DirectorJoel Souza was also injured in the accident.[16]
