Learners are twice as likely to have accidents during their free time
In Suva-insured companies, almost 19,000 apprentices have accidents at work every year. In Switzerland, there are a total of around 25,000 accidents involving apprentices every year. Unfortunately, two of these accidents are fatal. In fact, apprentices are twice as likely to have accidents during leisure activities than at work. This is shown by the latest statistical analysis of the new Suva accident data. The reasons for this are a lack of experience and an increased willingness to take risks on the part of apprentices. Suva is therefore working together with vocational trainers and apprentices to ensure an accident-free apprenticeship period.
Young people are enthusiastic, easily distracted, and sometimes misjudge risk. Learners, in comparison, have twice the risk in their Free time to have accidents than their colleagues who have completed their training. In concrete terms, this means that almost one in four apprentices has an accident during their free time. The most frequent accidents are Learner while playing sports: Slightly more than half of recreational accidents occur while playing sports and clearly most often while Football (44 percent). This is followed by skiing and snowboarding accidents, with a share of 10 percent.
Many learners have accidents when they are in public spaces (18 percent), e.g., at Road accidents. The proportion of self-inflicted accidents is higher among apprentices than in the population as a whole. Learners have fewer accidents at home than their older colleagues. However, tripping and falling accidents are the main cause for all of them.
One in eight apprentices has an occupational accident
Every year, almost 19,000 occupational accidents occur among apprentices in companies insured by Suva. Two of these are fatal. One in eight apprentices has an accident at work. The risk for Occupational accidents of apprentices is thus significantly higher than that of other employees. In general, accidents involving apprentices are less serious than those involving other employees. The main reasons for this are certainly the general ban on dangerous work in accordance with the Youth Employment Protection Ordinance, ArGV 5 Art. 4 Para. 1, and the faster healing process for young people.
Nearly 40 percent of apprentice accidents occur while working by hand or with machines. Handicraft activities with a risk of accidents include, for example, drilling, grinding, sanding, and machine milling or turning. Often learners are hit by parts pecking away or they cut or scrape themselves. Lack of experience certainly plays a big role here. The handling of hand tools and machines is still unfamiliar and therefore leads to accidents.
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