A study reveals the chilling figures of the increase in work-related injuries among women

Are workplace accidents gender-based? The National Agency for the Improvement of Working Conditions (ANACT) was published on 4 July. chilling numbers of his study on accidents at work active such. Their number has increased considerably among women since 2011, to the point of representing more than a third of cases in 2019.

+ 42% accidents among women, an alarming increase

In 2019, 650,000 workers in France they were victims of accidents (not counting occupational diseases and accidents while traveling). If ANACT reveals that these figures have decreased -11.1% since 2001we observe developments clearly distinct between men and women.

The number of accidents a They workers really has explodedwith an increase of 41.6% even if the cases identified in men decreased by -27.2%.

We also note that, with the exception of the construction sector, the injuries suffered by women are more serious than those of workers. Their downtime is longer, with 73.8 days on average compared to 67.6 per men. However, over 90% of fatal accidents concern the latter.

“Underrated” risks for women

How to explain these numbers? ANACT concluded that ” women work in jobs where the risks are likely underestimated and where prevention policies are not yet sufficiently developed “. The Agency calls for better risk prevention in ” sectors with a prevalence of women and in particular in service activities “. Concretely, health fieldssocial action, cleaning and temporary work are those where women suffer the greatest number of injuries.

To stem these worrying statistics, businesses are also called upon to take them into account ” the differentiated impact of risk exposure by gender “. For example, in the sector of constructioninjuries among women increased by 85% between 2011 and 2019, when they down 30% in men.

Featured image credit: © Getty Images / iStockphoto