Workplace accidents in Belgium down 6%

In 2014, the number of workplace accidents in Belgium's private sector fell by 5.7%, according to the annual report by the Fund for Accidents at Work (FAO). The figure fell for the fourth consecutive year.

A total of 141,865 work accidents in the private sector were registered last year in Belgium, including accidents at work and on the way to and from work. This corresponds to a decrease of 5.7% compared to 2013.

Both the number of accidents at work (-4.4%) and the number of accidents on the way to and from work (-13.1%) decreased. The decline in the number of accidents on the way to work is the result of a mild winter leading to less road accidents.

In 2014, 59 accidents were fatal, or 13 less than the year before. One-third of the fatal accidents occurred on public roads, while falls from height were the second cause of death last year. Between 2008 and 2014 the number of fatal work accidents decreased from 103 to 59.