Almost three million fatalities due to occupational accidents and illnesses worldwide

According to new estimates from the UN's International Labor Organization (ILO), almost three million workers worldwide die every year as a result of work-related accidents and occupational illnesses, reported Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). This means that the number of people affected has risen by more than five percent compared to 2015.

Mortality rate for men significantly higher than for women

Most of the total of 2.6 million work-related deaths are due to work-related illnesses. According to the analysis, a further 330,000 people die as a result of accidents at work, writes RND. Cardiovascular diseases, cancer and respiratory diseases are among the three most common causes of work-related deaths. These three categories account for three quarters of all work-related mortality.

According to the report, the mortality rate for men (108.3 per 100,000 people in employment) is significantly higher than for women (48.4 per 100,000 people in employment). The Asia and Pacific region has the highest work-related mortality rate (63 percent of the global total). Agriculture and forestry, construction, fishing and manufacturing are the most dangerous sectors with 200,000 fatal injuries per year.

The ILO presented the report at the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work. The ILO is a UN specialized agency based in Geneva.

Source: RND