This document provides a summary of global estimates of work-related injuries and illnesses in 2013. It finds that there were over 320,000 fatal work-related accidents in 2008, affecting almost 3 billion economically active people worldwide. Major causes of work-related death include communicable diseases, cancers, respiratory diseases, and circulatory diseases. The document also estimates costs of work-related injury and illness, finding costs equivalent to 3.2% of GDP in Singapore in 2011. Total costs of work-related death and injury globally were estimated at over $2 trillion USD annually. The document advocates for a "total workplace safety and health" approach to better address both safety and health issues and create a more sustainable working environment.

1. Global Estimates of the Burden of
Injury and Illness at Work in 2013
Dr Jukka Takala
Executive Director
Workplace Safety and Health Institute
May 2013

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INDUSTRY
PARTNER
Educating & Engaging
Stakeholders, Promoting
WSH
WSHC
WorkplaceSafety & Health Council
THINK TANK
Charting New Grounds
for WSH Excellence and
Innovation
WSHI
WorkplaceSafety & Health Institute
REGULATOR
Legislation, Policies,
Compliance Assistance &
Enforcement
OSHD
OccupationalSafety & Health Division
Progressing WSH in Singapore
What we do
Singapore’s WSH Framework

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Region
Economically
active
population
Fatal
accidents
reported
to the ILO
(2008)
Fatal
accidents
best
estimate
2008
Accidents
causing at
least 4 days'
absence
Average est.
2008
Work-
related
diseases
Work-
related
mortality
Deaths
caused by
dangerous
substances
EME 427,681,309 11,210 15,159 14,252,505 269,989 285,148 90,400
FSE 193,354,716 2,111 14,519 13,650,601 170,166 184,685 56,976
CHN 740,792,400 180 97,542 91,706,292 334,138 431,680 111,879
IND 473,300,000 179 46,928 44,120,055 355,863 402,791 119,153
OAI 457,166,678 1,247 80,567 75,746,706 269,541 350,107 90,250
SSA 273,414,298 15 57,771 54,314,626 364,551 422,322 122,062
LAC 222,632,385 2,196 31,165 29,300,625 107,180 138,345 35,887
MEC 128,010,251 929 14,296 13,441,062 73,687 87,984 24,673
All 2008: 2,991,283,518 21,604 320,580 317,421,473 2,022,570 2,343,149 910,286
USA 154,287,000 5,214 5,370 5,594,188 95,808 101,179 38,016
EU-27 237,997,300 4,706 5,900 7,374,297 161,970 167,870 73,989
Singapore new 3,340,000 61 61 57,000 1,360 1,421 406
Finland 2,726,000 41 49 42,708 1,693 1,734 871
Work-related Fatalities – World
2.99 billion economically active, 2008 (some data 2003)

7. 17%
32%
8%
23%
1%
1%
0.4%
18%
Communicable diseases Cancer
Respiratory Diseases Circulatory diseases
Mental Disorders Digestive systems diseases
Genitourinary system Accidents and violence
Deaths attributed to work, 2.3 million/year
Sources: Hämäläinen P, Takala J,
Saarela KL; TUT, ILO, EU-OSHA, 2008
Work-related Annual Deaths – World

8. 3%
57%6%
23%
4%
1%
0.4% 5%
Communicable diseases Cancers
Respiratory Diseases Circulatory diseases
Mental Disorders Digestive systems diseases
Genitourinary system Accidents and violence
Deaths attributed to work, 168 000/year
Work-related Annual Deaths – EU-27
Sources: Hämäläinen P, Takala J,
Saarela KL; TUT, ILO, EU-OSHA
Work-related Annual Deaths – EU-27
and pattern in other developed countries

9. Occupational Cancer
• UK: 8010 deaths/year (Rushton a.o.: Br Journal of Cancer, 2012)
• UK: ILO Attr.Fractions: 13 300 deaths/year
• see also V McCormack, J Peto, G Byrnes, K Straif and P Boffetta, BJC 2012
• USA today: 37 000 – 61 000 deaths/ year
• USA : 12,086 - 26,244 deaths/year, Steenland 2003
• Sources: http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v107/n1s/index.html
• http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_protect/@protrav/@safework/documents/
publication/wcms_162662.pdf and TUT/WSH Institute/ILO/EU-OSHA documentation
• http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v106/n3/full/bjc2011563a.html

10. Estimation of work-related Fatalities – EU 27/USA
• 205/147 million people in employment
• 168,000/91,012 fatalities attributed to work-related accidents and
diseases in EU, and within that:
– 159,000/84,155 fatalities attributed to work-related diseases
– 7,460/6,857 fatalities caused by accidents at work
– 74,000/38,016 fatalities attributed to hazardous substances at work
(asbestos included)
• 95,581/51,900 work-related cancer deaths annually
(9.6% of all cancer deaths estimated to be attributable to work)
(2002)
Estimation of work-related Fatalities – EU 27/USA
year 2008
 238/154 million people economically active
 168,000/101,179 fatalities attributed to work-related
accidents and diseases in EU, and within that:
o 162,000/96,000 fatalities attributed to work-related diseases
o 5,900/5,370 fatalities caused by accidents at work
o 72,426/46,950 fatalities attributed to hazardous substances
at work (allergens, ETS, asbestos, diesel exhaust etc. included)
 95,581/51,900 work-related cancer deaths annually
(9.6% of all cancer deaths estimated to be attributable to
work, 2002)
 Sources and methods, see also earlier:
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_protect/@protrav/@safework/documents/publication/wcms_162662.pdf
http://www.ttl.fi/en/publications/electronic_journals/asian_pacific_newsletter/archives/Documents/Asian_Pacific_Newsletter1_2000.pdf

11. Major causes of death by age group,
EU-25, 2001

12. Work –relatedness of common
diseases
A Leading Institute for WSH Knowledge and Innovations
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13. WorkWork--relatedness of common diseasesrelatedness of common diseases
Overall work-relatedness of mortality, ILO: 6.7%
GDP loss, Australian method 5.9%
Global Burden of disease and injury in Europe, WHO 5.0%
Work –relatedness of common
diseases
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New 4.8 % previous:

14. Magnitude of non-fatal work-related
illnesses and accidents
A Leading Institute for WSH Knowledge and Innovations
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7 million in Europe in 2007
20 million in Europe 2007
11,113reportable
workplace injuries in
Singapore in 2012
987 occupational diseases
(OD) were confirmed in
Singapore in 2012

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Projected cases of Selected diseases -
UK Population and working population, 2006-2030

16. For each of the following issues, please tell me whether it is of major
concern, some concern or no concern at all in your establishment
% establishments, EU27
53
44
38 36
30
18 18
26
35
41
22 31
19 19
20 21 20
41 38
62 62
0 .0
10 .0
2 0 .0
3 0 .0
4 0 .0
50 .0
6 0 .0
70 .0
8 0 .0
9 0 .0
10 0 .0
A ccident s M SD s W R St ress D angerous
subst ances
N oise and
vibrat ion
V iolence or
t hreat of
violence
B ullying or
harassment
Major concern Some concern No concern DK/ NA
EU-OSHA Enterprise Survey of New
and Emerging Risks

18. Problem

21. New and emerging risks
• New risks – e.g. Nanotechnologies
• New industries – e.g. Green jobs
• Old risks – new concerns: combined exposures

22. Trends influencing occupational
safety and health
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1. Demographic trends
2. Globalisation
3. Changes in employment
structures
4. New technologies

23. Changes in employment structures
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• Tertiarisation of the workforce
• Higher percentage of women in employment
• More non-standard employment
– Part-time,
– Multiple jobs
– Self-employment
– Precarious work
– Informal sector / undeclared work

24. New Association between work and
health
Source: Jorma Rantanen, WSH Conference Singapore, 2012

25. Source: Jorma Rantanen, WSH Conference Singapore, 2012
New Association between work and
health

26. Cost of injury and illness, Australia,
2012, and other countries
A Leading Institute for WSH Knowledge and Innovations
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4.8 % of GDP
in 2008-09
3.2 % of GDP in
Singapore, 2011
Others:
1.8%- 6 % of GDP
source: www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/swa/AboutUs/Publications
/CostofWork-relatedInjuryandIllness.htm
http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/660/Cost%20of%
20Work-related%20injury%20and%20disease.pdf
www.wshi.gov.sg

27. Competitiveness and WSH: World
(selected countries)
-5
0
5
10
15
20
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
Fatal accidents /
100 000 workers
2008
Competitiveness Index
Competitiveness rank Death rates Linear (Death rates)
Source: WSH Institute and World Economic Forum 2012-2013
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2012-13.pdf

28. And: Jorma Rantanen, WSH Conference Singapore, 2012, and JT
Iceland
Sustainable Work Life
Japan

29. Finland
Singapore
2012
Iceland
Norway, Switzerland
New Zealand
Source: OECD, Statistics Finland, WSH-Institute Singapore

30. Statistics, Finland: GDP 2007, Pensions 2007, Salaries 2007,
premature pension payments: 4.5 billion eur/year in 2006
GDP in 2007: 178 billion (US billion= 1000 million =109 euro =
mrd) euro, population of Finland 5.2 million
Price of premature retirement
Finland/EU27
Average age 58.1 years
Loss 6.9 years/person
77.109/7.7 million new
retirements/year
EU27 estimate
Annual average
salary: 30.000 eur
Average value
(cost) of one work
year 45.405 €
GDP/employed
73.500 eur
16 billion
24 billion
39 billion
1600 billion
2400 billion
3900 billion
712,108 million € in Europe = 712 billion (US billion = 10 9)
(based on Australian estimate on poor work environment costs)
Finland EU

31. The "Balance of Horror" in the
European Labour Market
Training
OHS
WA promotion
Recreation and culture
Corporate fitness
Communication
Early retirement
Sick-leaves
Accidents
Permanent disability
****
(Presenteeism)
3000 Bill € / year200 Bill € / year
Source: Prof. G.Ahonen, adaptation Dr. J.Takala

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PERCEIVED AND REAL RISKS
PERCEIVED RISK
Airline
accident
Mobile
phones
Terrorist
attack Violent
robbery
Avian flu
Stockexchange
crash
Glass of vine
REAL RISK
Heat wave
WAR
activities,
anywhere
Traffic
Accident Cancer
Circulatorydiseases
Work-
relatedWork-
related
Sources: S. Hertlich, M.Hamilo, S.kuvalehti (FI), WHO/ILO/J.Takala
Work-
related
Work-
related
Work-
related
Work-
related
WORK
all
WORK
all
Work-
related
Work-
related Work-
related
Evidence 2 Policy
Evidence 2 Practice

34. A Leading Institute for WSH Knowledge and Innovations
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UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan in 2003:

35. http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---safework/documents/publication/wcms_208226.pdf
H in Workplace Safety and Health

36. Work-related
cancer
Work-related
circulatory
diseases
Accidents Infectious
and
parasitic
diseases
Musculo-
skeletal
disorders
Psychosocial
disorders
Asbestos Shift and night
work, overwork
Lack of company
policy, man.
System,
worker/employer
collaborative
mechanism, poor
safety culture
Poor quality
drinking water
Heavy lifting,
loads, shapes of
materials
Lack of control
Carcinogenic
substances,
processes, silica
and other dusts
Strain by high
demands, low
decision making
latitude
Lack of
knowledge,
solutions and
good practices
Poor sanitation
and sewage
system
Repetitive
movements
Poor work-life
balance
Ionizing
radiation,
radioactive
materials
High injury risk Lack of guidance
or poor gvt
policies, poor
legislation and
poor enforcement
and tripartite
collaboration
Poor hygiene,
lack of
knowledge
Poor design of
seats, tables,
tools, processes
Poor
organisational
culture
UV-radiation Chemicals Lack of incentive-
based
compensation
system
Protection
against
animals,
insects, snakes
Low
temperatures,
vibration
Role ambiguity
or conflict,
unclear or
changing
priorities
ETS (passive
smoking at
work)
ETS (passive
smoking at
work)
Lack or or poor
OH services
Diesel engine
exhaust
Poor recording
and notification
systems

37. Trends – change of mindset

38. Challenge, not just for today
but for life
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• To achieve a sustainable
working life
• The challenge to
employment
• A holistic approach
• Good Work!
http://www.theworkfoundation.com/assets/docs/publications/216_bupa_report.pdf
http://www.theworkfoundation.com/DownloadPublication/Report/316_Good%20Work%20High%20Performance%20and%20Productivity.pdf

39. A Leading Institute for WSH Knowledge and Innovations
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40. Total Workplace Safety and Health
(Total WSH)
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A comprehensive and integrated approach to
managing workplace safety and health:
To provide and maintain a safe and healthy working
environment for all employees.
To identify and address WSH risks in a proactive and
integrated way with the active participation of
employees.
SAFETY ISSUES HEALTH ISSUES
GOVERNMENT
MANAGEMENT
WORKER
Occupational
Diseases
General
Diseases
Health Promotion

41. Benefits of Total WSH
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Key
Benefits
Enhanced
WSH Culture
Sustainable
WSH gains
Lengthen
productive
working life
Attract &
retain
employees
International
Best Practice
Corporate
Image
Enhanced
Productivity

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A Leading Institute for WSH Knowledge and Innovations
Ergo@WSH ~10,000
downloads
• Launched at Singapore WSH Conference - Sept 2012
• Awarded CIO 100 Honouree 2013

43. Accidents – injuries –
exposures or …
Design for Safety,
Control Banding,
GHS…evidence4action
http://www.asse.org/professionalaffairs_new/PtD/Opening%20Session/Paul%20Schulte.pdf

44. A multifaceted approach to prevention
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Policy,
strategy,
programmes,
management
Laws and
regulations
Enforcement,
compliance,
inspection
Knowledge,
information
Promotion,
advocacy
Technical
assistance,
advice, OSH
Services
Systems
approach
Infra-
structures
Collaboration
TOOLBOX FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH
. .

45. World Day for Safety and Health at Work:
Singapore reaffirms its commitment to safety and health
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http://www.ilo.org/safework/events/safeday/WCMS_211661/lang--en/index.htm
Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore,
April 28, 2013

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47. From Fragmentation to Leadership
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48. Conclusion

49. Conclusion

50. Conclusion

51. Conclusion