Questions & Answers
ID 271: What is the difference between work-related accident and work-related injury?
ID 287: What is the difference between an ‘accident’ and an ‘injury’, and how should I count a ‘case’?
- Work-related injuries
- rate of recordable work-related accidents
Background
ESRS S1 paragraph 86 states: ‘the undertaking shall disclose … the number of incidents associated with work-related injuries, ill health and fatalities of its own workforce. In addition, it shall disclose the number of fatalities as a result of work-related injuries and work-related ill health of other workers working on the undertaking’s sites.’
ESRS S1 paragraph 88 states: ‘The disclosure required by paragraph 86 shall include the following information, where applicable, broken down between employees and non-employees in the undertaking’s own workforce: … (b) the number of fatalities as a result of work-related injuries and work-related ill health; (c) the number and rate of recordable work-related accidents … (d) … the number of cases of recordable work-related ill health … (e) … the number of days lost to work-related injuries and fatalities from work-related accidents, work-related ill health and fatalities from ill health.’
ESRS S1 paragraph AR 89 states: ‘In computing the rate of work-related injuries, the undertaking shall divide the respective number of cases by the number of total hours worked by people in its own workforce and multiplied by 1 000 000. Thereby, these rates represent the number of respective cases per one million hours worked. A rate based on 1 000 000 hours worked indicates the number of work-related injuries per 500 full time people in the workforce over a 1-year timeframe. For comparability purposes a rate based on 1 000 000 hours worked shall be used also for undertakings with less than 500 people in the workforce.‘
ESRS S1 paragraph AR 91 states: ‘An undertaking shall include fatalities as a result of work-related injuries in the calculation of the number and rate of recordable work-related injuries.’
Annex II Acronyms and Glossary of Terms defines ‘recordable work-related injury or ill health’ as a ‘work-related injury or ill health that results in any of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness; or significant injury or ill health diagnosed by a physician or other licensed healthcare professional, even if it does not result in death, days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness.’
Answer
A work-related injury is one of the possible consequences of a work-related accident. This is explained in the definition of ‘work-related incident’ provided in Annex II Acronyms and Glossary of Terms: ‘Occurrence arising out of or in the course of work that could or does result in injury or ill health … An incident that results in injury or ill health is often referred to as an “accident”. An incident that has the potential to result in injury or ill health but where none occurs is often referred to as a “close call”, “near-miss”, or “near-hit”.’
ESRS S1 paragraph 88 (c) requires a disclosure of the number and rate of recordable work-related accidents, which includes accidents that result in work-related injuries and accidents that result in work-related ill health. ESRS S1 paragraph AR 89 provides guidance on how to calculate the rate of work-related injuries based on the number of cases of work-related injuries. ESRS S1 paragraph AR 91 specifies that fatalities as a result of work-related injuries should also be included in the disclosure of ESRS S1 paragraph 88 (c).
To sum up, work-related incidents that result in work-related injury or ill health are work-related accidents. Work-related accidents therefore include cases of both work-related injuries, including work-related injuries that result in fatalities and cases of work-related ill health. To note, only the cases of work-related ill health that occur as a result of accidents need to be considered. The absolute number of recordable work-related accidents required by ESRS S1 paragraph 88(c) must therefore include cases of both work-related injuries and work-related ill health.
Relations
Paragraph | Content |
|---|---|
An undertaking shall include fatalities as a result of work-related injury in the calculation of the number and rate of recordable work-related injuries. | |
In computing the rate of work-related injuries, the undertaking shall divide the respective number of cases by the number of total hours worked by people in its own workforce and multiplied by 1 000 000. Thereby, these rates represent the number of respective cases per one million hours worked. A rate based on 1 000 000 hours worked indicates the number of work-related injuries per 500 full time people in the workforce over a 1-year timeframe. For comparability purposes a rate based on 1 000 000 hours worked shall be used also for undertakings with less than 500 people in the workforce. | |
Work-related injuries and work-related ill health arise from exposure to hazards at work. Notwithstanding, other types of incidents can occur that are not connected with the work itself. For example, the following incidents are generally not considered to be work-related, unless otherwise specified in applicable national legislation: | |
the number and rate of recordable work-related accidents; | |
with regard to the undertaking’s employees, the number of days lost to work-related injuries and fatalities from work-related accidents, work-related ill health and fatalities from ill health . | |
with regard to the undertaking’s employees, the number of cases of recordable work-related ill health, subject to legal restrictions on the collection of data; and | |
the number of fatalities as a result of work-related injuries and work-related ill health; | |
The undertaking shall disclose information on the extent to which its own workforce is covered by its health and safety management system and the number of incidents associated with work-related injuries, ill health and fatalities of its own workforce. In addition, it shall disclose the number of fatalities as a result of work-related injuries and work-related ill health of other workers working on the undertaking’s sites. | |
An undertaking shall include fatalities as a result of work-related injury in the calculation of the number and rate of recordable work-related injuries. | |
In computing the rate of work-related injuries, the undertaking shall divide the respective number of cases by the number of total hours worked by people in its own workforce and multiplied by 1 000 000. Thereby, these rates represent the number of respective cases per one million hours worked. A rate based on 1 000 000 hours worked indicates the number of work-related injuries per 500 full time people in the workforce over a 1-year timeframe. For comparability purposes a rate based on 1 000 000 hours worked shall be used also for undertakings with less than 500 people in the workforce. |