Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Sammelstelle für die Statistik der Unfallversicherungen (SSUV)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Suva Versicherungstechnik Statistik
1.3. Contact name
Restricted from publication
1.4. Contact person function
Restricted from publication
1.5. Contact mail address
c/o Suva Versicherungstechnik Statistik Fluhmattstrasse 2 CH - 6000 Luzern
1.6. Contact email address
Restricted from publication
1.7. Contact phone number
Restricted from publication
1.8. Contact fax number
Restricted from publication
2.1. Metadata last certified
16 September 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
16 September 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
16 September 2024
3.1. Data description
Harmonised data on accidents at work are collected in the framework of the administrative data collection 'European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW)', on the basis of a methodology developed first in 1990.
An accident at work is defined as 'a discrete occurrence in the course of work which leads to physical or mental harm'. The data include only fatal and non-fatal accidents involving more than 3 calendar days of absence from work. If the accident does not lead to the death of the victim it is called a 'non-fatal' (or 'serious') accident.
A fatal accident at work is defined as an accident which leads to the death of a victim within one year of the accident.
The variables collected on accidents at work include:
- Economic activity of the employer and size of the enterprise - Employment status, occupation, age, sex and nationality of victim - Geographical location, date and time of the accident - Type of injury, body part injured and the severity of the accident (number of full calendar days during which the victim is unfit for work excluding the day of the accident, permanent incapacity or death within one year of the accident). - Variables on causes and circumstances of the accident: workstation, working environment, working process, specific physical activity, material agent of the specific physical activity, deviation and material agent of deviation, contact - mode of injury and material agent of contact - mode of injury.
3.2. Classification system
The following classifications are used in ESAW:
NACE Rev. 2: 2nd revision of the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community managed by Eurostat. For ESAW data NACE Rev. 2 is used from reference year 2008 onwards;
ISCO-08: International Standard Classification of Occupations managed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) (revision of 2008). ISCO-08 should be used from reference year 2011 onwards. ISCO-88 was used until 2010;
NUTS: Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics. Latest NUTS version in force, depending on the reference year of the data collection;
ICSE-93: International Classification by Status in Employment (revision of 1993).
3.3. Coverage - sector
As defined on EU level, All economic sectors are covered with the following exceptions:
Armed forces of Switzerland are not included.
Sector A (Agriculture) has only few emloyees due to economic structure of this sector (mostly independent and family workers).
3.3.1. Sector Coverage ESAW
All employees are covered for (Annual update expected)
NACE
NACE Rev.2
Coverage
A
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Y
B
Mining and quarrying
Y
off shores
Y
others
Y
C
Manufacturing
Y
D
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
Y
E
Water supply, sewerage, steam and air conditioning supply
Y
F
Construction
Y
G
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles
Y
H
Transportation and storage
Y
maritime transport (NACE 50)
Y
air transport (NACE 51)
Y
transport via Railways (NACE 49)
Y
post & telecomunications (NACE 53)
Y
I
Accomodation and food service activities
Y
J
Information and communication
Y
K
Financial and insurance activities
Y
L
Real state activities
Y
M
Professional, scientific and technical activities
Y
N
Administrative and support service activities
Y
O
Public administration and defence;compulsory social security
P1
of which 84.22 Defence activities
N
P
Education
Y
Q
Human health and social work activities
Y
R
Arts, entertainment and recreation
Y
S
Other service activities
Y
T
Activities of households as employers; undiferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use
Y
U
Activites of extra territorial organisations and bodies
Y
Additional comments on coverage of economic sectors
1: Armed forces are from NACE sector O excluded.
Codes:
y Sector fully covered n Sector not covered at all p Secor partially covered n.a. Not applicable, i.e. sector does not exist in country
An accident at work is a discrete occurrence in the course of work which leads to physical or mental harm'.
This includes all accidents in the course of work, whether they happen inside or outside the premises of the employer, on the premises of another employer, in public places or during transport (including road traffic accidents or accidents in any other mean of transportation) and at home (such as during teleworking). It also includes cases of acute poisoning and willful acts of other persons;
It excludes:
Commuting accidents: accidents that occur during the normal journey to or from home and place of work;
Deliberate self-inflicted injuries;
Accidents from strictly natural causes, or occurrences caused solely by a medical condition (such as heart attack or stroke) that occurred during work,
Accidents. which were not (at least partially) caused by the occupational activity of the victim; purely private or leisure time accidents
Accidents to members of the public, even if such an accident is due to a work activity within a company.
A non-fatal accident has to be counted as an accident for ESAW, if it resulted in more than 3 days absence from work. Because in Switzerland there is a three days waiting period before dayly allowances are paid, the ESAW definition is transformed into a minimum of one day's daily allowances to be paid.
A fatal accident at work is defined as an accident that leads to the death of a victim within one year of the accident. If the accident is registered as having fatal consequences within the calendar year following the accident, it is considered a fatal accident to ESAW.
The ESAW methodology is in accordance with the ILO (International Labour Office) "Resolution concerning statistics of occupational injuries (resulting from occupational accidents)" adopted by the Sixteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians in October 1998.
The following 15 phase I and II variables have to be sent by Member States to Eurostat from reference year 2011 onwards on an annual basis:
1. Case number 2. Economic activity of the employer (NACE) 3. Occupation of Victim (ISCO) 4. Age of Victim 5. Sex of Victim 6. Type of Injury 7. Part of Body Injured 8. Geographical Location of the Accident 9. Date of the Accident 10. Time of the Accident (optional) 11. Size of the Enterprise (optional) 12. Nationality of the Victim (optional) 13. Employment Status of the Victim 14. Days Lost (severity) 15. Weight ESAW collection
In addition, three of the following nine phase III variables on 'causes and circumstances of the accident' have to be sent annually to Eurostat from reference year 2013 onwards:
16. - 18. Workstation, Working Environment, Working Process 19. - 20. Specific Physical Activity, Material Agent associated with the of Specific Physical Activity 21. - 22. Deviation, Material Agent associated with the Deviation 23. - 24. Contact - mode of injury, Material Agent associated with the Contact - Mode of injury.
Finally, the weight on Causes and Circumstances has to be sent if the Member State applies an additional sampling for the encoding of the ESAW Phase III variables on causes and circumstances.
If not applicable the default value is 1.
The definition of the variables is stated in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 349/2011 and further specified in the ESAW methodology.
3.4.1. Definition of ESAW variables
COVERAGE OF ESAW VARIABLES (Annual update expected)
Economic activity of the employer
y
Occupation of the victim
Y
Age of victim
Y
Sex of victim
Y
Type of injury
p*
Part of body injured
p*
Geographical location
p*
Date of the accident
Y
Time of the accident
p*
Size of enterprise
y
Nationality
y
Employment status
y
Days lost
ynum
Workstation
N
Working environment
p*
Working process
N
Specific physical activity
p*
Material agent of Specific physical activity
N
Deviation
p*
Material agent of Deviation
p*
Contact – mode of injury
p*
Material agent of Contact - Mode of injury
p*
Road traffic accidents (RTA)
Y
Weight
Y
Type of weight (under-reporting - U; sampling - S; special sampling - Sp)
Sp*
Additional comments on coverage of ESAW variables
* The following variables are only specified for a sample. The sample is stratified into three strata:
fatal accidents are selectred with 100% coverage associated with weight or extrapolation factor 1
permanently disabled accident victims are 100% selected associated with weight or extrapolation factor of 1
other accidents are sampled with a random sample of 5% associated weight or extrapolation factor 20.
For these variables, the same sampling weight as for the phase III variables has to be used.
Codes:
Coverage y Variable fully covered n Variable not covered at all, i.e. variable is so far not collected in country p Variable partially covered
Days lost y num Days lost are covered and in data file listed by numbers (004 - 182) y cat Days lost are covered and in data file listed by categories (A01 - A06) p num, p cat Days lost are partly covered and listed by numbers (categories)
Type of weight U weight to correct under-reporting S weight to account for sampling Sp weight to correct special sampling
3.5. Statistical unit
Data are collected for each accident.
If a person is a victim of more than one accident during the reference year, several cases are reported (one for each accident).
If there are several victims in the same event of accident, also several cases are reported (one for each victim).
3.6. Statistical population
Data on employed resident population is reported to ESAW, but not on self-employed and family members if working on an informal basis.
Students and family members having work contracts are included.
Armed forces of Switzerland are not included.
3.6.1. Statistical Population ESAW
COVERAGE OF PROFESSIONAL STATUS (Annual update expected)
Professional status
Coverage
1. Self employed
N
1.1 Self employed with employees
N
1.2 Self employed without employees
N
2. Family worker
N
3. Employee
Y
3.1 Part time workers
Y
3.2 Casual workers
Y
3.3 Trainees/Apprentices
Y
4. Students
N
5. Others
N
Additional comments on coverage of professionnal status
-
Codes:
y Professional status fully covered n Professional status not covered at all p Professional status partially covered n.a. Not applicable, i.e. professional status does not exist in country
COVERAGE OF ACCIDENTS OUTSIDE PREMISES (Annual update expected)
Accidents in the course of work
Coverage
1. Commuting accidents
N
2. Accidents in a public place or in a mean of transport during a journey in the course of work
Y
2.1 Road traffic accidents in the course of work (public highways, car parks, internal ways inside the premises of the enterprise)
Y
2.2 Number of fatal road traffic accidents during a journey in the course of work for persons employed outside the NACE Rev. 2 sector H Transportation (PLEASE INSERT THE MANDATORY NUMBER)
6
2.3 Other accidents (slips, falls, aggressions, etc.) in a public place (pavement, staircases, etc.) or in the arrival and starting points (station, port, airport, etc.) of any mean of transport, during a journey in the course of work
Y
2.4 Accidents on board of any means of transport (underground railway, tram, train, boat, plane, etc.) used during a journey in the course of work
Y
2.5 Number of fatal accidents on board of any other means of transport during a journey in the course of work for persons employed outside the NACE Rev. 2 sector H Transportation (PLEASE INSERT THE MANDATORY NUMBER)
0
3. Accidents occurred within the premises of another company than that which employs the victim, or in a private individual, in the course of work
Y
4. Accidents having only a medical origin, in the course of work
N
Additional comments on coverage of accidents outside premises
Codes:
y Accidents fully covered n Accidents not covered at all p Accidents partially covered F Data of fatal road traffic accidents and fatal accidents on board of any means of transport provided in the main CSV data file A Data of fatal and non-fatal road traffic accidents as well as fatal and non-fatal accidents on board of any means of transport provided in the main CSV data file
3.7. Reference area
Switzerland.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data available from 2004.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
The following measurement units are used in ESAW data:
- Number of accidents
- Percentages of accidents (in relation to different totals and breakdowns)
- Incidence rates of accidents: number of accidents per 100,000 workers
The calendar year during which the accidents were reported to have taken place (reference year).
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Not applicable
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Confidentiality is regulated by Swiss legal framework through, among others:
- Unfallversicherungsgesetz (UVG)
- Verordnung über die Unfallversicherung (UVV)
- Verordnung über die Statistiken der Unfallversicherung (VSUV)
- Bundesgesetz über den Datenschutz (DSG)
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
Commission Regulation (EU) No 557/2013 of 17 June 2013 implementing Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European Statistics as regards access to confidential data for scientific purposes and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 831/2002 Text with EEA relevance, 'establishes the conditions under which access to confidential data transmitted to the Commission (Eurostat) may be granted for enabling statistical analyses for scientific purposes, and the rules of cooperation between the Commission (Eurostat) and national statistical authorities in order to facilitate such access' (article 1).
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Microdata of Member States are sent via secure e-Damis application. The microdata as received by Eurostat from the National Statistical Institutes or other statistical authorities do not contain any administrative information such as names or addresses that would allow direct identification. Access to this microdata is nevertheless strictly controlled and limited to specified Eurostat staff.
Currently, there are no restrictions applied when publishing aggregated data.
8.1. Release calendar
Eurostat disseminates accidents at work data by the occurrence concept as soon as possible after data have been transmitted by a country and validated by Eurostat. When all countries have sent their data for a certain reference year, Eurostat calculates EU aggregates and releases them and all other indicators. This usually takes place in the last quarter of each year. ESAW data is usually released between January - September of each year (in year N+2, where N is the reference year in which the accidents took place), with a focus on end of June - July (release of most countries' data). There is no specific release calendar for ESAW data (see the Eurostat website for all published ESAW data). See section 14 Timeliness and punctuality for more details about the timing and punctuality of ESAW data releases.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
Annual
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
see www.unfallstatistik.ch for occasional news releases with regard to Switzerland (different statistical definitions may apply)
Quality reports are available with the national metadata.
11.1. Quality assurance
Phase I variables and Phase II variables with sampling: Data from administrative sources. It is therefore assumed that data quality is satisfactory (including relevant checks). Stratification and Randomization identical to what ist described for Phase III.
Phase II variables with sampling and all Phase III variables: A random subsample of the cases coded at SSUV is re-evaluated by a second person of the SSUV coding staff. The error rate is typically around 1 %.
For details concerning stratification and randomization process see Scholz et al., Direct Health Care Cost and Work Incapacity Related to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in Switzerland: A Retrospective Analysis from 2008 to 2015.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Continous improvement
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Data are used by labor inspectorates and other government users (ministries etc.), trade unions, business associations and media.
The main use consists in monitoring and quantifying risks and costs, including new emerging risks.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No information available.
12.3. Completeness
No additional information to the metadata on EU level available. Information corresponds to the EU metadata.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Close to 100%
12.3.1.1. Data completeness rate of ESAW variables per sector
REPORTING LEVELS OF ECONOMIC SECTORS (NACE), (Annual update expected)
Global reporting level
~ 100%
Reporting levels by sector
A. Agriculture, forestry and fishing
100%
B. Mining and quarrying
100%
off shores
100%
others
100%
C. Manufacturing
100%
D. Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
100%
E. Water supply, sewerage, steam and air conditioning supply
100%
F. Construction
100%
G. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles
100%
H. Transportation and storage
100%
maritime transport (NACE 50)
100%
air transport (NACE 51)
100%
transport via Railways (NACE 49)
100%
post & telecomunications (NACE 53)
100%
I. Accomodation and food service activities
100%
J. Information and communication
100%
K. Financial and insurance activities
100%
L. Real state activities
100%
M. Professional, scientific and technical activities
100%
N. Administrative and support service activities
100%
O. Public administration and defence;compulsory social security
100%
of which police and firebrigades (NACE 84.24 and 84.25)
100%
P. Education
100%
Q. Human health and social work activities
100%
R. Arts, entertainment and recreation
100%
S. Other service activities
100%
T. Activities of households as employers; undiferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use
100%
U. Activites of extra territorial organisations and bodies
100%
Additional comments on global reporting level
1:There exists no study about the reporting level.
Swiss social security system expects a very high reporting level.
Codes:
N sector not covered by data collection UNK sector covered but unknown reporting level (value %) reporting level (e) rough estimate (instead of "medium" or "high")
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The number of notifications is highly accurate in Swiss ESAW data.
The time lag between accidents and their notifications to the insurance did not change much in recent years. There are no significant differences in the number of notifications resulting from this.
13.2. Sampling error
IMPORTANT: In Swiss ESAW data sampling only applies to phase II and III variables available in Swiss data.
A good approximation for the relative sampling error of avaiable phase II and III variables is the coefficient of variation (CV) = 1/SQRT(N), where N is the unweighted number of cases.
Examples:
Raw number of N=100 cases: CV = approximately 10%.
Raw number of N=10,000 cases: CV = approximately 1%.
Sampling error - indicators
Coefficient of variation (CV) = 1/SQRT(N), where N is the unweighted number of cases.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Coefficient of variation (CV) is
CV approx= 1/SQRT(N)
where N is the unweighted number of cases
13.3. Non-sampling error
Accidents may remain unreported when no claims at the insurance are made.
The extent of such possible under-reporting is unknown.
13.3.1. Coverage error
Very low
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Very low
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Unknown
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable
13.3.4. Processing error
Unknown
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable
14.1. Timeliness
The legal requirement for Member States is to send Eurostat ESAW data until 30 June of year N+2, where N is the reference year in which the accidents took place. Data from Switzerland unfortunately are delayed by approximately 3 months due to the delayed data entry process for the detailed sample variables.
As soon as one or several Member States have sent their data they are published on the Eurostat website. In some cases this may happen already some months before the legal deadline of June.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Approximately 18 months after the end of the reference year (experience of previous years, but recently 20+ months).
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Approximately 18 months after the end of the reference year (experience of previous years, but recently 20+ months).
14.2. Punctuality
Most countries transmit data before and a few days - weeks after the legal deadline of 30 June of year N+2. Eurostat then checks and validates this data and publishes most of it on its website within a few weeks (in July N+2 or before). A few countries may send data only during July - September of year N+2. Data from Switzerland unfortuantely are delayed by approximately 3 months due to the delayed data entry process for the detailed sample variables.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Approximately 18 months after the end of the reference year (experience of previous years, but recently 20+ months).
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Regarding comparability of data from Switzerland to those from other countries see a discussion of several aspects in this website.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Unknown
15.2. Comparability - over time
Comparability of Swiss ESAW data since 1984 is good, since no major changes in legislation took place.
However, all changes in classification systems for ESAW variables (such as for NACE from Rev1 to Rev2, from ISCO-88 to ISCO-08) have some impact on comparability over time, depending on the time the year took place in a country.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Comparability of Swiss data since 1984 is good, since no major changes in legislation in this time range. For a subset of todays universe, time series can go as far back as 1918 for some variables.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not applicable.
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
Not applicable
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
National accounts are based on SSUV data
15.4. Coherence - internal
Comparability of Swiss data since 1984 is good, since no major changes in legislation took place since that time.
However, all changes in classification systems for ESAW variables (such as for NACE from Rev1 to Rev2, from ISCO-88 to ISCO-08) have some impact on comparability over time, depending on the time the year took place in a country.
No additional information to the metadata on EU level available. Information corresponds to the EU metadata.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revisions are made when requirements change.
17.2. Data revision - practice
A committee consisting of SSUV members and insurance representatives decides on major changes in data to be delivered to SSUV.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable
18.1. Source data
Swiss data set is based on administrative insurance data sources. Data on cases, costs, and covered employers are transmitted from the insurer to SSUV on a yearly basis.
Some phase II and phase III variables are obtained from case files. From all cases a sample is drawn, and for this sample complete case files are transfered to SSUV for a closer statistical evaluation. Coding of these sample cases is performed by a specialized SSUV coding staff.
The source of the national reference population is the Swiss LFS (Schweizerische Arbeitskräfte-Erhebung, SAKE).
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Continous
18.3. Data collection
Administrative insurance data on cases, costs, and covered employers are transmitted from the insurer to SSUV.
Some phase III variables are obtained by coding directly from case files. Coding is performed by specialized SSUV staff.
18.4. Data validation
Various automatic and manual checks are performed on data upon reception at SSUV in order to identify possible errors and inconsistencies with the ESAW methodology. Insurers are asked to check all inconsistencies and corrections and re-send data if necessary.
Validation activities at SSUV include:
completeness of data files transmitted (variable fields)
correctness of codes for each variable
comparing aggregated data at insurance level with aggregates at national level
coverage of variables, sectors, employment types and other breakdowns
comparing ESAW reference populations with EU Labour Force Survey (LFS) populations
consistency of totals and various breakdowns
use of use of variable weights to correct for sampling and/or under-reporting
checking for outliers
18.5. Data compilation
IMPORTANT: The weight mentioned below is only used for available phase III variables.
The related sample of some phase II and all phase III variables consists of several subsamples:
100% coverage of fatal cases
100% coverage of cases resulting in permanent disability
5% sample drawn from the rest of the cases (non-fatal and non-permanent disability cases)
The weight is reciprocal to the probability of a case to be in the sample, i.e. the weight is 1 for all fatal and permanent cases, and 20 for the rest of the sample.
18.5.1. Imputation - rate
Not applicable
18.6. Adjustment
No adjustments done
18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment
No adjustments done
No additional information to the metadata on EU level available. Information corresponds to the EU metadata.
Harmonised data on accidents at work are collected in the framework of the administrative data collection 'European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW)', on the basis of a methodology developed first in 1990.
An accident at work is defined as 'a discrete occurrence in the course of work which leads to physical or mental harm'. The data include only fatal and non-fatal accidents involving more than 3 calendar days of absence from work. If the accident does not lead to the death of the victim it is called a 'non-fatal' (or 'serious') accident.
A fatal accident at work is defined as an accident which leads to the death of a victim within one year of the accident.
The variables collected on accidents at work include:
- Economic activity of the employer and size of the enterprise - Employment status, occupation, age, sex and nationality of victim - Geographical location, date and time of the accident - Type of injury, body part injured and the severity of the accident (number of full calendar days during which the victim is unfit for work excluding the day of the accident, permanent incapacity or death within one year of the accident). - Variables on causes and circumstances of the accident: workstation, working environment, working process, specific physical activity, material agent of the specific physical activity, deviation and material agent of deviation, contact - mode of injury and material agent of contact - mode of injury.
An accident at work is a discrete occurrence in the course of work which leads to physical or mental harm'.
This includes all accidents in the course of work, whether they happen inside or outside the premises of the employer, on the premises of another employer, in public places or during transport (including road traffic accidents or accidents in any other mean of transportation) and at home (such as during teleworking). It also includes cases of acute poisoning and willful acts of other persons;
It excludes:
Commuting accidents: accidents that occur during the normal journey to or from home and place of work;
Deliberate self-inflicted injuries;
Accidents from strictly natural causes, or occurrences caused solely by a medical condition (such as heart attack or stroke) that occurred during work,
Accidents. which were not (at least partially) caused by the occupational activity of the victim; purely private or leisure time accidents
Accidents to members of the public, even if such an accident is due to a work activity within a company.
A non-fatal accident has to be counted as an accident for ESAW, if it resulted in more than 3 days absence from work. Because in Switzerland there is a three days waiting period before dayly allowances are paid, the ESAW definition is transformed into a minimum of one day's daily allowances to be paid.
A fatal accident at work is defined as an accident that leads to the death of a victim within one year of the accident. If the accident is registered as having fatal consequences within the calendar year following the accident, it is considered a fatal accident to ESAW.
The ESAW methodology is in accordance with the ILO (International Labour Office) "Resolution concerning statistics of occupational injuries (resulting from occupational accidents)" adopted by the Sixteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians in October 1998.
The following 15 phase I and II variables have to be sent by Member States to Eurostat from reference year 2011 onwards on an annual basis:
1. Case number 2. Economic activity of the employer (NACE) 3. Occupation of Victim (ISCO) 4. Age of Victim 5. Sex of Victim 6. Type of Injury 7. Part of Body Injured 8. Geographical Location of the Accident 9. Date of the Accident 10. Time of the Accident (optional) 11. Size of the Enterprise (optional) 12. Nationality of the Victim (optional) 13. Employment Status of the Victim 14. Days Lost (severity) 15. Weight ESAW collection
In addition, three of the following nine phase III variables on 'causes and circumstances of the accident' have to be sent annually to Eurostat from reference year 2013 onwards:
16. - 18. Workstation, Working Environment, Working Process 19. - 20. Specific Physical Activity, Material Agent associated with the of Specific Physical Activity 21. - 22. Deviation, Material Agent associated with the Deviation 23. - 24. Contact - mode of injury, Material Agent associated with the Contact - Mode of injury.
Finally, the weight on Causes and Circumstances has to be sent if the Member State applies an additional sampling for the encoding of the ESAW Phase III variables on causes and circumstances.
If not applicable the default value is 1.
The definition of the variables is stated in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 349/2011 and further specified in the ESAW methodology.
Data are collected for each accident.
If a person is a victim of more than one accident during the reference year, several cases are reported (one for each accident).
If there are several victims in the same event of accident, also several cases are reported (one for each victim).
Data on employed resident population is reported to ESAW, but not on self-employed and family members if working on an informal basis.
Students and family members having work contracts are included.
Armed forces of Switzerland are not included.
Switzerland.
The calendar year during which the accidents were reported to have taken place (reference year).
The number of notifications is highly accurate in Swiss ESAW data.
The time lag between accidents and their notifications to the insurance did not change much in recent years. There are no significant differences in the number of notifications resulting from this.
The following measurement units are used in ESAW data:
- Number of accidents
- Percentages of accidents (in relation to different totals and breakdowns)
- Incidence rates of accidents: number of accidents per 100,000 workers
IMPORTANT: The weight mentioned below is only used for available phase III variables.
The related sample of some phase II and all phase III variables consists of several subsamples:
100% coverage of fatal cases
100% coverage of cases resulting in permanent disability
5% sample drawn from the rest of the cases (non-fatal and non-permanent disability cases)
The weight is reciprocal to the probability of a case to be in the sample, i.e. the weight is 1 for all fatal and permanent cases, and 20 for the rest of the sample.
Swiss data set is based on administrative insurance data sources. Data on cases, costs, and covered employers are transmitted from the insurer to SSUV on a yearly basis.
Some phase II and phase III variables are obtained from case files. From all cases a sample is drawn, and for this sample complete case files are transfered to SSUV for a closer statistical evaluation. Coding of these sample cases is performed by a specialized SSUV coding staff.
The source of the national reference population is the Swiss LFS (Schweizerische Arbeitskräfte-Erhebung, SAKE).
Annual
The legal requirement for Member States is to send Eurostat ESAW data until 30 June of year N+2, where N is the reference year in which the accidents took place. Data from Switzerland unfortunately are delayed by approximately 3 months due to the delayed data entry process for the detailed sample variables.
As soon as one or several Member States have sent their data they are published on the Eurostat website. In some cases this may happen already some months before the legal deadline of June.
Regarding comparability of data from Switzerland to those from other countries see a discussion of several aspects in this website.
Comparability of Swiss ESAW data since 1984 is good, since no major changes in legislation took place.
However, all changes in classification systems for ESAW variables (such as for NACE from Rev1 to Rev2, from ISCO-88 to ISCO-08) have some impact on comparability over time, depending on the time the year took place in a country.
