Accidents at work among employed persons in Germany: Results from the 2024 ‘Health in Germany’ panel

Abstract

Background: Accidents at work can result in injuries, health care utilisation, incapacity to work and long-term consequences. Population surveys complement statistics on notifiable work-related accidents, among other things by also capturing less severe accidents at work. Methods: The authors analysed data from the 2024 ‘Health in Germany’ panel. Restricted to the most recent unintentional injury requiring medical treatment, the indicator describes the occurrence of an accident at work among employed persons aged 18 to 70 years. Results: Based on the indicator, ‘most recent unintentional injury’, 2.4 % of employed persons experience an accident at work within a 12-month period. Men are more affected than women. Accidents at work are more common among younger men and men with low education. Conclusions: Population surveys also capture minor unintentional injuries and can identify important starting points for injury prevention. Efforts to prevent accidents at work should focus particularly on occupations frequently performed by younger men and socioeconomically disadvantaged people, such as manual and low-skilled service occupations.