Workplace fatalities, injuries down in first half of 2017; occupational diseases up: MOM

THERE were fewer workplace fatalities and injuries in the first half of 2017 compared to the second half of 2016, but the number of confirmed occupational disease cases has gone up, according to a statement by the Ministry of Manpower on Wednesday.

Workplace fatalities in the first half of the year stood at 19, down from 24 in H2 2016, and 42 in H1 2016. The manufacturing sector contributed to the most fatalities with five cases, followed by construction with two. Vehicular-related incidents and falls continued to be the top causes of workplace fatalities.

There were also 6,151 workplace injuries in H1 2017 compared with 6,769 in H2 2016, and 6,245 in H1 2016.

Again, the manufacturing sector accounted for the highest number of workplace injuries and occupational diseases with 1,431 cases. This was followed by the construction, accommodation and food service activities, and transportation and storage sectors.

In total, these four sectors accounted for 54 per cent of workplace injuries and 73 per cent of the occupational diseases in H1 2017.

Falls was also the top cause of major injuries in H1 2017 with 111 cases, or 41 per cent of all major injuries, even though there was a reduction of 14 per cent in the number of cases from H2 2016.

Despite the improvement on most fronts, the number of confirmed occupational disease cases increased from 341 cases in H2 2016 to 467 cases in H1 2017. The top three occupational diseases in H1 2017 were noise induced deafness (NID), work-related musculoskeletal disorders and occupational skin diseases.

In particular, NID cases rose by 84 per cent to 195 cases from the 106 cases in H2 2016, accounting for 42 per cent of occupational diseases in H1 2017.