One in three workplace accident victims is a new employee

One in three people injured in workplace accidents in Latvia has worked for their employer for no more than a year, LSM reported, citing the State Labour Inspectorate. The overall number of workplace accidents has also increased.

“The main reason accidents happen is carelessness at work. However, new employees remain the highest-risk group. In 35% of cases, those injured had worked at the company or workplace for up to one year,” inspectorate representative Dainis Deigelis said.

The next-highest-risk group comprises employees who have worked for one to three years. This indicates that employers should pay particular attention to how new employees are trained and how compliance with workplace safety rules is monitored, Deigelis said.

The State Labour Inspectorate said the number of serious workplace accidents this year was more than a quarter higher than last year. Nearly 160 workplace accidents have been recorded so far this year, including 14 fatal accidents.

The inspectorate said it was concerned about the sharp increase. Workplace injuries are most common in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and construction. Men aged 35 to 44 are most frequently involved in workplace accidents.