Work and health in the EU – a statistical portrait – data 1994-2002. 2003 edition

This report is a statistical portrait of health and safety at work in the European Union. It constitutes the first joint analysis of the various statistical data available at EU level. It describes the general picture of the working life including characteristics of the European labour force and overall importance of ill-health due to work-related factors. Specific chapters describe statistical data on risk factors and outcomes of safety at work, work-related diseases and psycho-social problems linked to health and safety at work. The distribution of risk factors and the frequency of accidents at work, work-related diseases and work-related problems of psychosocial nature are described by age, gender, sector of economic activity, occupation and other relevant variables.

The publication is based on statistical data collected by Eurostat over the period 1994-2002. Eurostat's data are complemented with data from other sources, especially by data from the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working conditions. The data mainly cover the 15 Member States of the EU, but some preliminary data are available for trends in the incidence of accidents at work in the acceding and candidate countries.