In 2022, Finland recorded over 92,000 workplace accidents and 22,600 commuting accidents, which represent an increase respectively of 1.6% and up to 23.5% compared to the previous year, according to figures recently published by the Accident Insurance Centre, TVK.

In several sectors, the number of accidents at work decreased or remained at the level of 2021. On the other hand, the number of accidents at work has increased in construction, transport and storage, in addition to the administrative and support services industries.

Nearly one in four accidents – at work and on the way to work – is due to falls. The frequency rate was highest among 20–24-year-olds, but older employees on average suffered the most serious accidents.

The number of commuting accidents increased for the second year in a row. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the practice of telecommuting, it had decreased in 2020 and returned in 2022 to almost the same level as in 2019.

Spring sees the highest number of commuting accidents. In March 2022 in particular, due to a cold snap and freezing rain, 500 commuting accidents occurred in a few days in the Uusimaa region alone, Finland’s most populous region. These accidents mainly involved pedestrians. These figures are currently only sectoral data and TVK will publish the full data for 2022 in October 2023.