VietNamNet Bridge – In 2012, nearly 7,000 of labor accidents happened in Vietnam, killing 606 people, injuring more than 6,300 others, causing property damage of VND11 billion ($500,000).

According to the report from the Department of Work Safety (Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs), in 2012, the number of occupational accidents and the number of victims increased compared with 2011.

Specifically, in 2012, the number of labor accidents is 6,777, killing 606 people and injuring 6,361. Thus, the number of occupational accidents increased by 881, the number of victims increased by 813 people, the number of fatal cases rose by 48, the number of deaths increased by 32, and the number of serious injuries was up by 156.

Damage caused by occupational accidents in 2012 was VND82.6 billion (over $4 million), with property damage of VND11 billion, the total number of days off due to occupational accidents of more than 85,600.

The top ten provinces for fatal occupational accidents include Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Hanoi, Binh Duong, Ha Tinh, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, Danang and Binh Thuan.

In particular, the industries with the highest number of serious accidents are mining, construction, metal workers, mechanics.

According to statistics, the leading causes for the occurrence of labor accidents are that employers do not train their workers on occupational safety and workers violating processes, measures on labor safety.

The chief of the Labor Safety Department – Mr. Ha Tat Thang, said that it is alarming that up to 95 percent of firms did not report to the authorities of occupational accidents. The rate corresponds to about 19,300 companies, mainly small and medium-sized.

Mai Lan