SSC records 17,746 work-related injuries in 2022

AMMAN — The Social Security Corporation (SSC) said on Monday that it registered 17,746 work-related injuries across various sectors in 2022, marking a significant increase in occupational injuries, with an annual rise of 13.1 per cent, compared to 2021. 

The data, mentioned in the SSC annual report, reflects a concerning frequency of one work injury occurring every 30 minutes, the SSC said as reported by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The report, prepared by the corporation’s Occupational Safety, Health and Work Injuries Department and detailed by the SSC Director-General Muhammad Tarawneh, provides a critical analysis of occupational injuries, highlighting the challenges and scoping for improvement in workplace safety standards.

Among the total injuries, there were 78 reported fatalities due to work-related injuries in the private sector, highlighting critical areas for safety improvements.

The health and social work sector reported the highest number of injuries, accounting for 28.8 per cent of the total, followed by the manufacturing sector with 27.2 per cent, and then the wholesale and retail sectors. 

The incidence rate in these sectors was notably high, with the health and social work sector alone recording 108.3 injuries per 1,000 insured people.

The report also shed light on the nature of traumatic deaths within the private economic sectors, where out of the 78 fatalities, road accidents were the leading cause, accounting for 56.4 per cent of deaths, and the manufacturing sector recorded 26.9 per cent of the deaths.

Falls were identified as the predominant cause of work-related injuries, constituting 26.7 per cent of the total. 

The data indicates that 56.4 per cent of the reported injuries resulted in full recovery, while 27.5 per cent led to permanent disability or were fatal, underlining the severity of some workplace accidents.

The majority of injuries occurred among workers under the age of 30, with the under-20 age group exhibiting the highest injury rate. Factory operators and assembly workers were the most affected occupational group, highlighting particular vulnerabilities in these roles.

Larger establishments with 1,000 or more workers reported the highest number of injuries. However, smaller establishments, particularly those with five to nine workers, showed a higher rate of fatal injuries.

Jordanian workers constituted the majority of the injury cases, with a higher incidence rate compared to non-Jordanian workers. Male workers represented a significant majority of both injuries and fatalities.

The SSC, through this analytical study, emphasised its commitment to increase occupational safety and health standards, where the corporation is actively working on implementing a strategic framework for 2023-2027, focusing on preventing and reducing workplace accidents and injuries.

This framework aims at enhancing the mechanisms for reporting work accidents, contracting with medical agencies for better treatment of the injured workers, and launching media campaigns to promote a culture of safety.

The SSC report is a pivotal step in identifying the critical areas of concern in occupational safety and health, and serves as a foundation for developing targeted strategies and policies to mitigate the risks and enhance the overall safety standards in various work environments across Jordan.