By the Numbers: Worldwide Workplace Injury and Illness Stats

The world’s 3.2 billion workers are increasingly unwell: they are growing old; they suffer more chronic disease; they are stressed, unhappy, and sometimes unsafe at work; and they face significant economic insecurity. This is according to a January 2016 report by the Global Wellness Institute, entitled The Future of Wellness at Work.

Unsafe working conditions and unsafe work practices lead to a staggering number of workplace and work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. The International Labour Organization compiles statistics from across the globe and here are some of their findings.

• $3 trillion – that’s the annual cost to the global economy from accidents and work-related diseases.
• 3 million women and men around the world succumb to work-related accidents or diseases every year.
• This corresponds to over 6,000 deaths a day.
• 340 million occupational accidents and 160 million victims of work-related illnesses occur worldwide annually.
  • The construction industry has a disproportionately high rate of recorded accidents.
  • Younger and older workers are particularly vulnerable. The ageing population in developed countries means that an increasing number of older persons are working and need special consideration.
• Diseases related to work cause the most deaths among workers. Hazardous substances alone are estimated to cause 651,279 deaths a year.