Occupational Accidents Profile of the Construction Industry in Sweden

In Sweden, accident statistics reveal little, if any, evidence of improvement in health and safety on construction sites. Accident statistics, which adopt a reactive approach, must not be looked upon as merely numbers and figures. They must be able to reveal the underlying factors contributing to the accidents. This paper aims to examine construction safety performance based on accidents data from 2000-10. Additionally, the impact of rules and regulations implemented prior to 2010 on accident trends are discussed. The findings indicate that while accident frequency seems to be declining, the fatalities recorded remain high with an average of 10 fatalities per year, instilling fear among workers for their safety at work. Analysis of the causes of accidents reveals a high level of repetitions of the same or similar accidents, especially with regard to ‘loss of control’. Changes need to be made to the reporting of accidents. What is required is to determine the appropriate mitigation strategies, by using analysis of accident reports, to prevent future accidents. Since every accident is a reflection of the quality of management, it is important for companies to recognise that there is no single reliable measure of health and safety performance but rather a combination of both reactive and proactive measures. (Less)