Accidents at work (i46)
- 31/10/2025
- objective
- assessment assessment
In 2023, the number of accidents at work was 1,425.7 per 100,000 employees in Belgium. To achieve the sustainable development goal by 2030, this figure must decrease. Between 2010 and 2023, the trend is favourable (assessment of November 2025).
Accidents at work - Belgium and international comparison
number per 100,000 persons in employment
| 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2020 | 2023 | 2023//2010 | 2023//2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 2 051.8 | 1 862.9 | 1 992.2 | 1 391.6 | 1 426.8 | -2.8 | -4.4 |
| EU27 | 1 801.5 | 1 713.6 | 1 745.3 | 1 449.1 | -- | -- | -- |
| //: Average Growth Rates | |||||||
Note: break in series: EU 2020; BE 2014, 2020
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Accidents at work by sex and severity, hsw_mi08, last update of data 14/08/2025 23:00:00 (consulted on 02/09/2025)
Accidents at work by outcome - Belgium
number per 100,000 persons in employment
| 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2020 | 2023 | 2023//2010 | 2023//2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| non-fatal (4 days or over absence from work) | 2 049.5 | 1 861.0 | 1 990.4 | 1 390.3 | 1 425.7 | -2.8 | -4.4 |
| fatal | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.1 | -5.4 | -10.4 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | |||||||
Note: break in series: 2014, 2020
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Accidents at work by sex and severity, hsw_mi08, last update of data 14/08/2025 23:00:00 (consulted on 02/09/2025)
Accidents at work by sex - Belgium
number per 100,000 persons in employment
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2020 | 2023 | 2023//2010 | 2023//2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| females | 1 157.4 | 1 127.7 | 1 261.9 | 835.1 | 893.9 | -- | -4.6 |
| males | 2 626.7 | 2 537.7 | 2 672.1 | 1 941.0 | 1 958.4 | -- | -4.3 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | |||||||
Note: break in series: 2014, 2020
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Accidents at work by sex, age, severity, hsw_ph3_06, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 10/07/2025 11:00:00 (consulted on 02/09/2025)
Accidents at work by age - Belgium
number per 100,000 persons in employment
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2020 | 2023 | 2023//2010 | 2023//2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <25 | 3 301.7 | 3 041.5 | 3 085.0 | 2 233.0 | 2 157.6 | -- | -5.6 |
| 25-54 | 1 835.2 | 1 785.0 | 1 951.2 | 1 364.0 | 1 410.1 | -- | -4.5 |
| >54 | 1 390.4 | 1 373.0 | 1 618.7 | 1 148.2 | 1 193.2 | -- | -2.8 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | |||||||
Note: break in series: 2020
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Accidents at work by sex, age, severity, hsw_ph3_06, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 10/07/2025 11:00:00 (consulted on 02/09/2025)
Definition: the indicator measures the number of accidents that occur during work per 100,000 employees. The figures come from the administrative data of the European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW).
The following breakdowns are available for this indicator: sex and age.
Goal: the number of accidents at work must decrease.
The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015 include target 8.8: "Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments of all workers, including migrant workers, particularly women migrants, and those in precarious employment".
UN indicator: The selected indicator corresponds to indicator 8.8.1 - Frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries, by sex and migrant status.
At www.indicators.be the Federal Planning Bureau presents sustainable development indicators.
2025 © cic@plan.be