Work-related injuries down by 14.2% in 2023 — SSC

AMMAN — Work-related injuries registered by the Social Security Corporation (SSC) dropped by 14.2 per cent in 2023 compared with 2022.

Occupational injuries registered by the corporation went down from 17,746 in 2022, at a rate of 1 injury every 35 minutes, to 15,223 incidents in 2023, at a rate of 30 injuries per minute, according to the SSC's analytical report on work injuries for 2023 published on Tuesday.

The report indicated a decrease in deaths resulting from injuries in 2023 by 6.5 per cent, as 187 mortalities were recorded in 2023, compared to 200 in 2022.

The report showed that the SSC "successfully" advanced in the field of reducing and preventing work injuries, which still constitutes an ongoing challenge despite the decrease in their rates according to indicators.

The corporation noted that His Majesty King Abdullah's directives to provide a healthy work environment and decent job opportunities are its "basic pillars" to make safety an approach and behaviour to achieve the desired goal of zero work incidents.

The corporation added that this decrease is attributed in part to the SSC's launch of the occupational safety and health strategy to prevent and reduce work accidents and injuries for the years (2023-2027).

The report indicated that 12,844 work injuries occurred in the private economic sectors in 2023, compared to 16,161 in 2022, marking a decrease of 20.5 per cent.

The manufacturing sector recorded the highest number of injuries in 2023, with 4,458, representing 34.7 per cent, followed by the wholesale and retail trade sector with 2,494, constituting 19.4 per cent and hotels and restaurants with 1,428, representing 11.1 per cent.

Regarding the private economic sectors, the report indicated that their injuries were mainly bruises with 5,747 cases, representing 44.7 per cent, followed by wounds with 2,896 incidents, representing 22.5 per cent, followed by fractures with 1,389 injuries, representing 10.8 per cent.

Most injuries were concentrated in the upper limbs of the injured person’s body with 5,117 cases, representing 39.8 per cent of the total figure, followed by injuries to the lower limbs with 3,839, representing 29.9 per cent of the total injuries.