Occupational safety and health at work are vital components of decent work. The physical conditions and mental demands of the workplace determine to a great extent workers’ conditions. Occupational accidents have a significant human, social and economic cost, which we should strive to eliminate by ensuring that all workplaces are safe.
Statistics on occupational injuries are essential to assess the extent to which workers are protected from work-related hazards and risks. In this regard, indicators on occupational injuries are complementary to those on labour inspection, given that labour inspection is one of the main mechanisms to monitor occupational safety. Labour inspection statistics play an important role in the development of national policies, systems, programmes and strategies for labour inspection. Labour inspection statistics allow governments to observe trends in labour markets and to better analyse compliance issues.
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Quick Guide on sources and uses of statistics on occupational safety and health
This guide gives an overview of the main aspects of occupational safety and health statistics, including their relevance and uses. It presents the international standards governing occupational safety and health statistics, as well as a description of the most commonly used occupational safety and health indicators. The guide also reviews the various types of potential sources of occupational safety and health statistics, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the guide points to the main challenges surrounding the compilation, dissemination and interpretation of occupational safety and health statistics.
Methods

Quick Guide on sources and uses of statistics on occupational safety and health
This guide gives an overview of the main aspects of occupational safety and health statistics, including their relevance and uses. It presents the international standards governing occupational safety and health statistics, as well as a description of the most commonly used occupational safety and health indicators. The guide also reviews the various types of potential sources of occupational safety and health statistics, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the guide points to the main challenges surrounding the compilation, dissemination and interpretation of occupational safety and health statistics.

Indicator description: Occupational injuries and fatalities
Indicator descriptions provide a concise overview of concepts and definitions, uses, sources and limitations.

Guide on the Harmonization of Labour Inspection Statistics
This publication provides a methodology for the use of common terms and definitions and common procedures for the collection and compilation of labour inspection data. It also incorporates several additional recommendations that further the objective of harmonizing labour inspection statistics.

Decent Work Indicators - Guidelines for producers and users of statistical and legal framework indicators
Decent work is central to sustainable poverty reduction and is a means for achieving equitable, inclusive and sustainable development. The ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization recommends the establishment of appropriate indicators to monitor the progress made in the implementation of the ILO Decent Work Agenda. The ILO is supporting member States through technical assistance and capacity building at national, sub-regional and regional levels in this regard.

Occupational injuries statistics from household surveys and establishment surveys: ILO manual on methods
This manual aims to assist those responsible for compiling data on occupational injuries with newly developed tools for collecting these data from household surveys and establishment surveys, to supplement the data compiled through notification systems. A second aim of the manual is to enhance compatibility of data between countries by encouraging the application of the latest international statistical standards, which form the basis of the new methodological tools.

Resolution concerning statistics of occupational injuries (resulting from occupational accidents)
Adopted by the 16th ICLS (1998), this resolution sets standards of good practice for the collection and presentation of statistics of occupational injuries as guidance for countries wishing to revise their existing statistical systems in this field, or establish new ones. Its provisions should not undermine any existing national systems, nor should they lead to duplication of effort.
- Resolution concerning statistics of occupational injuries (resulting from occupational accidents)
- Indicator description: Occupational injuries
- Indicator description: Labour inspection
- Decent Work Indicators Manual: Chapter 8. Safe work environment
- Occupational injuries statistics from household surveys and establishment surveys
- Guide on the Harmonization of Labour Inspection Statistics