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ILO figures on global work-related deaths revised upwards by 19%

Health and Safety at Work/11 September 2017

The International Labour Organization has published updated figures on the global incidence of work-related accidents and fatal illnesses, calculating that there will be 2.78 million deaths a year attributable to work in 2017, compared to a calculation of 2.33 million in 2014.

The 19% increase is due to an under-estimation of the number of respiratory disease cases in the 2014 figures, says the research team.

The new figures are based on revised “attributable fractions” (AFs) for the number of deaths from respiratory diseases linked to workplace exposures. The AFs related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.

In total, work-related mortality accounted for 5% of the global total of deaths per year, based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.

The figures were released during the 21st World Congress on Safety and Health in Singapore, which took place between 3 and 6 September 2017, and prepared for the ILO and the Singapore’s Workplace Safety and Health Institute [check].

The research team comprises experts from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in Finland and the Workplace Safety and Health Institute of Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower.

“Asia contributed about two-thirds of the global work related mortality, followed by Africa at 11.8% and Europe at 11.7%.”

Work-related diseases accounted for 2.4 million (86.3%) of the total estimated deaths, while fatal accidents accounted for the remaining 13.7%.

The top three work-related illnesses leading to death were circulatory diseases (31%), cancer (26%) and respiratory diseases (17%).

Together, these three contributed more than three-quarter of the total work-related mortality, followed by occupational injuries at 14% and communicable diseases (9%).

Asia contributed about two-thirds of the global work related mortality, followed by Africa at 11.8% and Europe at 11.7%.

Asia’s work-related fatality rate is nearly six times that of Africa and Europe

 

News Source: Health and Safety at Work

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