Germany: Fewer people fatally injured at work than ever before

The number of accident victims thus reached an all-time low, if the coronavirus years 2020 to 2022 are not taken into account, in which working hours and mobility were heavily influenced by the conditions of the pandemic. This is according to the business and accounting results of the German social accident insurance institutions for 2023, which their umbrella organization, the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), announced today.

The number of reportable workplace accidents fell by 0.5% to 783,426 in 2023. In 2019, 871,547 accidents at work were recorded. The relative risk of accidents is therefore also declining - an important indicator for occupational safety in Germany: in 2023, it was around 18.1 reportable workplace accidents per 1,000 full-time employees. In 2019, this figure was 20.97. The statistical value of a full-time worker corresponds to the number of hours worked by a full-time employee in a year. If the relative accident risk decreases, this means that fewer accidents occurred during the same working hours.

Last year, 184,355 accidents occurred on the way to and from work, which is around 6.4 percent more than in the previous year, but still fewer than in the pre-corona year 2019, in which 186,672 commuting accidents were reported.

"The figures for 2023 show us that the working and mobility habits of insured persons are comparable to the time before the pandemic. However, the number of insured persons and hours worked has increased. Against this backdrop, the all-time low in accidents at work and fatal accidents at work is very good news," says Dr. Stefan Hussy, Director General of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV). "On the other hand, the fact that 599 people were fatally injured at work or on the way to work last year clearly shows us that we must continue to make an effort to get closer to the goal of Vision Zero."

In 2023, the total number of work and commuting accidents with a fatal outcome was lower than ever before. Compared to the previous year, 72 fewer people were injured as a result of their insured activity

Sharp decline in occupational illnesses

The number of suspected cases of occupational illness and the number of recognitions fell dramatically last year. This development reflects the easing of the pandemic. COVID-19 illnesses had accounted for the majority of occupational illnesses in previous years. But the effects of the pandemic are still visible in 2023. In 2023, 145,359 suspected cases of occupational illness were reported, a decrease of around 60.7 percent compared to the previous year. An occupational disease was recognized in 72,630 cases, which corresponds to a decrease of around 63.6% compared to 2022. These figures are still around twice as high as in 2019. This can be explained by the significant number of COVID-19 cases that are still occurring: Last year, 64,733 suspected cases were reported in this regard, and in 53,220 cases an occupational disease due to COVID-19 was recognized.

2,140 insured persons died in 2023 as a result of an occupational disease, 13 of whom were infected with COVID-19.

Slight increase in school accidents

The protection provided by statutory accident insurance also extends to children in day care, attending general and vocational schools and students. Last year, the accident insurance funds, which are responsible for school accident insurance, recorded 1,025,963 notifiable school accidents. This represents an increase of almost four percent compared to the previous year. However, this figure is still below that of the pre-corona year 2019, when 1,176,664 school accidents were reported.

The number of accidents on the way to school increased by just over four percent: 92,308 children and young people had an accident on the way to or from their educational institution. In 2019, the number of accidents on the way to school was 108,787.

27 children and young people had fatal accidents - two more than last year - in an educational establishment or on the way there or back to their place of residence.

Development of expenses and contributions

Compensation benefits make up the largest share of the statutory accident insurance budget. As a result of general price and wage increases, expenditure has also increased here in 2023: Employers' liability insurance associations and accident insurance funds spent around 12 billion euros on compensation benefits last year. The costs for medical treatment and compensation (€5.7 billion, +7.4%) rose significantly faster than the costs for financial compensation for insured persons (€6.3 billion, +2.5%). "Expenditure on medical treatment and rehabilitation may seem high, but it is actually a worthwhile investment," says Hussy. "This is demonstrated by our success in reintegrating insured persons after accidents at work and occupational illnesses."

The industrial employers' liability insurance associations and the accident insurance funds are financed by the contributions of their member companies and institutions. They do not make any profits. The basis for calculating the contributions of the social accident insurance institutions is the financial requirement - also known as the contribution target - as well as the remuneration of the insured persons and the risk classes. The contribution target of the employers' liability insurance associations for 2023 amounted to 13.97 billion euros. This was around 4.9 percent higher than in the previous year.

Remuneration subject to contributions in the commercial sector rose by 5.3% to around EUR 1,251.53 billion. This includes the salaries of employees and the insurance sums of the insured entrepreneurs. Due to the increase in contributory pay, the contribution burden for companies remains constant despite increased costs: the average contribution rate is 1.12% of contributory pay. This rate is the same as in the previous year.

Publicly owned companies and public budgets contributed a total of EUR 1.91 billion to the accident insurance funds. This represents an increase of 8.2 percent in the reporting year.

Source: dguv.de