site.btaNumber of Workplace Accidents Up in 2024 Y/Y, Trade Union Says

The number of workplace accidents in 2024 increased compared to 2023, rising from 2,709 to 2,823 last year. However, fatalities from workplace accidents decreased, from 87 in 2023 to 64 in 2024, the Podkrepa Labour Confederation reported on Friday, citing data from the National Social Security Institute (NSSI). The information was shared in connection with World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which is observed on April 28.

Podkrepa noted that according to the statistics, 11.24 people suffered a workplace accident every working day in 2024, compared to 10.92 people in 2023. Every four working days, one worker died in Bulgaria, whereas in 2023, it was every three working days. The data on workplace accidents for last year also reveals that the highest number occurred in Sofia (1,093), followed by Plovdiv (304), Varna (197), and Burgas (98).

According to data from the International Labour Organization, 2.2 million workers die worldwide each year due to workplace accidents and occupational diseases. Every year, 270 million workers suffer serious injuries, and the number of cases of occupational diseases is around 160 million, the Confederation added.

On World Day for Safety and Health at Work, the International Trade Union Confederation honours the memory of the victims of workplace accidents and occupational diseases and reminds the global public that these incidents are preventable.

Podkrepa also stated that artificial intelligence and digital tools are changing the way professional risks are identified, assessed, and managed - from predictive analysis that prevents accidents to robotics that eliminate human exposure to dangerous tasks. At the same time, these technologies raise critical concerns regarding worker surveillance, algorithmic bias, exclusion, and the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life, the confederation pointed out.