From 2022’s 3,000 Deaths to Today — The EU’s Ongoing Workplace Safety Challenge

• Workplace Accidents in Numbers
• Which Countries Report the Most Accidents?
• Sectors With the Highest Risks
• Gender Disparities in Workplace Accidents
• Beyond Physical Harm: Mental Health Risks
• Work-Related Road Accidents: The Hidden Threat
• Learning from Switzerland’s Road Safety Model
• Are High-Visibility Jackets Useful in Rainy or Foggy Weather?
• Towards Vision Zero

Ensuring safe working conditions remains one of the European Union’s key challenges. Despite decades of regulations, improved safety standards, and technological advancements, thousands of workers across the EU lose their lives each year due to occupational accidents, and millions more suffer injuries that disrupt their work, income, and quality of life.

Workplace Accidents in Numbers

The most recent Eurostat data from 2022 paints a clear but concerning picture. More than 3,000 workers died from work-related accidents, while nearly 3 million suffered non-fatal injuries. This equates to around 905 non-fatal incidents for every fatal one.

Although long-term trends indicate a gradual decline in total accidents, the short-term changes tell a different story. Between 2021 and 2022:

• Non-fatal accidents increased by 3%, adding 87,139 new cases.
• Fatal accidents decreased by 6%, marking a positive but modest improvement.

Experts partly attribute the rise in non-fatal accidents to the return of full-scale workplace activities after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Which Countries Report the Most Accidents?

Accident rates vary widely across EU member states:

• Germany reports the highest number of non-fatal injuries at over 700,000 cases.
• France, Spain, and Italy follow, with Italy registering more than 330,000 injuries.
• When it comes to fatalities, France recorded over 600 deaths, followed by Italy, Spain, and Germany.

This concentration among the largest economies suggests that industrial activity levels, workforce size, and sector distribution all play a role in accident figures.

Sectors With the Highest Risks

Some industries consistently face higher workplace accident risks:

• Construction, transportation and storage, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, and fishing together account for 65.5% of fatal accidents and 43% of non-fatal accidents.
• The construction industry alone is responsible for almost one in every four workplace deaths.
• Manufacturing leads in non-fatal injuries (18%), followed by healthcare and social work, construction, and retail trade.

Gender Disparities in Workplace Accidents

Roughly two out of three workplace accidents in the EU involve men. This imbalance reflects the higher concentration of male workers in physically demanding and high-risk occupations. However, gendered job roles and differences in employment patterns also contribute to these statistics.

Beyond Physical Harm: Mental Health Risks

Workplace safety is not only about preventing physical injuries. Psychological risks such as burnout, chronic stress, and anxiety can have long-term effects on both productivity and well-being. Although these issues are recognized at the EU level, they are not included in the official accident figures, meaning the true scope of work-related harm is likely underestimated.

Work-Related Road Accidents: The Hidden Threat

Workplace safety risks extend beyond factories and construction sites. Road collisions involving employees represent a significant share of work-related fatalities.

According to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), up to 40% of all road deaths in the EU are work-related. This includes accidents during professional driving duties, commuting, and incidents involving third parties.

In 2016, 25,671 people died on EU roads, and many of these deaths had a work-related link. However, the exact number remains unclear because:

• Most EU police forces do not record the purpose of a journey in accident reports.
• There is no standard EU definition of a “work-related road death.”

This lack of data hampers efforts to develop targeted prevention strategies.

Learning from Switzerland’s Road Safety Model

Switzerland provides a positive example. In 2017, the country won the ETSC Road Safety Performance Index Award after achieving:

• A 15% drop in road deaths in 2016.
• A 34% reduction since 2010.
• A 60% decline since 2001.

These improvements stem from measures such as zero tolerance for drink driving among novice and commercial drivers, improved road infrastructure, and stricter rules for inexperienced motorists. The Swiss example proves that long-term commitment and policy innovation can dramatically improve safety outcomes.

Are High-Visibility Jackets Useful in Rainy or Foggy Weather?

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve safety—especially in high-risk sectors—is the use of high-visibility (hi-vis) workwear. These garments are designed with bright colors and reflective materials that make the wearer more noticeable in poor lighting or low-visibility conditions.

In rainy or foggy weather, visibility is often significantly reduced, increasing the risk of accidents on roads, construction sites, or industrial yards. High-visibility jackets can make the difference between being seen in time and being overlooked by drivers or machine operators.

Key benefits in such weather include:

• Enhanced reflectivity: Water droplets and fog can scatter light, but reflective tape on hi-vis jackets captures and redirects vehicle headlights or worksite lighting.
• Bright contrast: Fluorescent colors like yellow and orange stand out against dull, grey, or misty backdrops.
• Layering capability: Modern hi-vis jackets can be waterproof and insulated, offering both visibility and weather protection.

For workers in construction, road maintenance, delivery, or outdoor logistics, wearing hi-vis clothing in adverse weather is not optional—it’s life-saving.

Towards Vision Zero

The EU’s 2021–2027 Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work includes the ambitious “Vision Zero” goal: eliminating all workplace fatalities and serious injuries. Achieving this vision requires:

• Stricter enforcement of safety rules.
• Better accident reporting systems.
• Investment in safety training and protective equipment.
• Stronger employer-employee cooperation on hazard prevention.

With around 170 million workers in the EU, the scale of this challenge is immense—but every reduction in accidents represents lives saved and families spared from tragedy.