Workplace Accidents and Workplace Safety: On Under-reporting and Temporary Jobs

Statistics on workplace accidents do not always reflect workplace safety because workers under-report for fear of job-loss if they report having had an accident. Based on an analysis of fatal and non-fatal workplace accidents and road accidents in 15 EU-countries over the period 1995-2012, we conclude that there seems to be cyclical fluctuations in reporting of non-fatal workplace accidents. Workers are less likely to report a workplace accident when unemployment is high. Furthermore, analyzing data from Italy and Spain on both workplace accidents and commuting accidents, we conclude that workers on temporary jobs are likely to under-report accidents