Austria

Organization responsible for the statistics

Hauptverband der Österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger, Abteilung Statistik (Confederation of Austrian Social Insurance Institutions, Statistics Department).

Periodicity

Annual.

Source

Reports submitted to the four accident insurance institutions which are members of the Confederation of Austrian Social Insurance Institutions. The description below relates to the Allgemeine Unfallversicherungsanstalt (General Accident Insurance Institution), but is applicable in general to the other accident insurance institutions.

Objectives and users

To provide information for a variety of users.

Coverage

Persons:

Almost all persons employed, including students in schools and universities, but excluding a few self-employed workers who are not covered by statutory social insurance.

In 1995, about 5,500,000 workers were covered.

Economic activities:

All economic activities and sectors.

Geographic areas:

Whole country.

The statistics cover all persons covered by the accident insurance schemes in Austria. Where the worker lives or the accident occurs is irrelevant.

Establishments:

All types and sizes of establishments.

Types of occupational accidents covered

The statistics cover reported injuries due to all types of occupational accidents. Statistics are also compiled on commuting accidents and occupational diseases, but are published separately.

Concepts and definitions

Occupational accident:

(Arbeitsunfall).

Fatal occupational injury:

(Tod als Folge von Arbeitsunfall).

Temporary incapacity to work:

(Minderung der Erwerbsfähigkeit).

Minimum period of absence from work: none.

Maximum period for death to be considered a fatal occupational injury: none.

Types of information compiled

(a) personal characteristics of persons injured: sex, age, occupation;

(b) amount of worktime lost: none;

(c) characteristics of accidents: time of day, day of week, agency of injury, type of accident, activity of worker at moment of accident, cause of the accident, location;

(d) characteristics of injuries: part of body injured, type of injury, extent of incapacity to work;

(e) characteristics of employers or workplaces: location, economic activity.

Measurement of worktime lost

Information not collected.

Classifications

(a) fatal or non-fatal accidents;

(b) extent of disability;

(c) economic activity;

(d) occupation;

(e) type of injury;

(f) cause of accident;

(g) duration of absence from work:

none;

(h) characteristics of workers:

none;

(i) characteristics of accidents:

none;

(j) characteristics of employers or workplaces:

none;

(k) region.:

Reference period

Year, quarter, month.

An injury is included in the statistics for the period (year, quarter, month) in which the entitlement to compensation is recognized.

Estimates

Total number of persons injured.

Rates of fatal injuries.

Historical background of the series

The statistics were first compiled in 1948. A number of changes have been introduced since then following revisions of the general social insurance law, the last significant change being the adoption of the NACE Revision 1.

Documentation

Series available:

The following tables are published, among others:

Number of persons injured, by:

Bibliographic references:

The data are published in:

Hauptverband der österreichischen Socialversicherungsträger: Statistische Daten aus der Socialversicherung - Unfallversicherung (annual).

Österreichisches Statistisches Zentralamt: Statistisches Jahrbuch (annual).

Data can be made available on request, on diskette, magnetic tape and in printed form.

Data published by ILO:

The following data are furnished regularly to the ILO for publication in the Yearbook of Labour Statistics, relating to compensated injuries according to major division of economic activity: number of persons fatally injured; rates of fatal injuries. The number of persons at risk (total number of persons employed) is also supplied and stored in the LABORSTA database.

Confidentiality:

A series of provisions on the protection of personal data are contained in the Data Protection Act 1978.

International standards

The statistical system for occupational injuries is essentially geared to the provisions of Austrian legislation, which were mainly established before the relevant ILO standards were adopted. Comparison of the methods show that the definitions used are close to those contained in the current ILO standards.

Instructions concerning the statistics are issued to insurance institutions after consultations with the Hauptverband der Österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger and in close cooperation with the social insurance institutions concerned. The participation of employers and workers in this process is guaranteed, albeit indirectly, as their representatives sit on the administrative bodies of the Hauptverband der Österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger and of the institutions themselves.

Method of data collection

Legislation:

General Social Insurance Act 1955, Industrial Social Insurance Act 1978, Farmers' Social Insurance Act 1978, Public Servants' Sickness and Accident Insurance Act 1967, Notaries' Insurance Act 1972, Labour Inspection Act 1974.

Reporting:

Information is supplied by means of an accident report form which is submitted to the social insurance scheme; the data are subsequently transmitted to the Hauptverband der Österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger for compilation and publication.

Data reported:

Information is supplied with respect to occupational accidents:
  1. information concerning the person injured: sex, age, occupational group;
  2. information concerning the employer: economic activity;
  3. information concerning the accident: cause of the accident, activity of the person at the moment of the accident, time of day, day of week, agency of injury, type of accident;
  4. information concerning the injury: type of injury, part of body injured, extent of incapacity.

Changes planned:

None.