Occupational accidents

County – the county where the occupational accident took place (generally this is the location of the company but in cases where the accident takes place in other counties then the location of the accident does not coincide with that of the company). Until 2017, data by the counties is distributed by the administrative division that existed before administrative reform (October 2017). Data starting from 2018 is distributed by new administrative division.

Occupational accident – refers to the death or injury of the employee which occurred while the injured person was executing tasks given by the employer or was otherwise occupied with performing work at his/her permission, including during rest periods included in working hours or during any time the worker was engaged in performing works at the behest of the employer. Occupational accidents do not include injury or death which took place under the aforementioned circumstances but which have no causal link either to the employee’s work or working environment.

Employed person – working-age person (between 16 and retirement age or aged 15–74) who was working at the time being investigated and was recompensed either as a salaried worker, entrepreneur or freelancer; or who worked without direct remuneration in a family enterprise or in his/her farm or was temporarily unemployed. From 2020, the 'Rate per 100 000 employed persons (16-retirement age)' will no longer be published, because Statistics Estonia also does not publish the number of employed persons aged between 16 and retirement age. Source: Statistics Estonia, labour force survey.

Labour Inspectorate registers data pertaining to occupational accidents as mandated under the Guidelines for Registering, Notifying and Investigating Occupational Accidents and Diseases. Doctors and employers are obliged to inform the Labour Inspectorate of all occupational accidents that have taken place.

The severity of occupational accidents sustained is equivalent to the bodily injury level classified by the physician. Serious damage to health will be classified subject to the guidelines for classifying serious bodily damage. The regulations are valid in Estonia – i.e. the level of physical injuries is not comparable to classifications applied in other European Union member states.

Classification of Estonian administrative units and settlements (EHAK)
Classification is used in order to provide regional statistics. Until 2017, data by the counties is distributed by the administrative division that existed before administrative reform (October 2017). Data starting from 2018 is distributed by new administrative division. EHAK is available on the website of Statistics Estonia under the heading List of Classifications.

Statistics on occupational accidents are disseminated through the webpage of Labour Inspectorate. Reports are available here.

Labour Inspectorate forwards their data to Eurostat, and it's published in the: Eurostat database under topics: Database by themes > Population and social conditions > Health > Health and safety at work.

Krista Vaikmets

Labour Inspectorate

E-mail: Krista.Vaikmets[at]ti.ee

Updated: 21.03.2023