Send this page to someone

Workplace accidents in Denmark’s building and construction industry:

One of the trades with the highest risks of workplace accidents. 13 percent of all serious workplace accidents and one in five fatal accidents happen here, even though only six percent of the total workforce are employed in this industry. Construction workers run nearly double the risk of being involved in a serious workplace accident compared to other workers. 

Every year around ten workers die in workplace accidents, and around 5,000 workers are involved in reported workplace accidents - 1,000 of them serious, i.e. the worker will be off sick for at least three weeks afterwards. 

The number of accidents per worker rose by six percent between 2007 and 2011, and the number of serious accidents per worker rose by 45 percent during the same period.

Around half of the serious and reported accidents happen in companies with 1 to 19 employees.

The top five most reported serious accidents:

• Fall to a lower level, e.g. during roofing work
• Fall on one level, e.g. tripping over rubbish
• Acute strain, e.g. from carrying heavy construction materials
• Cuts, e.g. from using circular saws
• Hit by falling object, e.g. when a bricklayer is hit by loose pieces of scaffolding

Research points to three equally common causes for serious accidents:

• A lack of safety measures during work on a building site
• Mistakes and faults in the contractor’s planning
• Mistakes and faults in the project planning with the developer and consultant. The working environment is improved when the developer makes demands.

Source: The Ministry of Employment’s survey linked to the new action plan