While the number of occupational fatalities are at their lowest in over 40 years, there is an increase in the proportion of foreign workers who lost their lives at work, according to a new overview.
The proportion of foreign workers who have lost their lives at work increases, according to the Labour Inspection (Arbeidstilsynet) review of occupational deaths in 2016.
Ten of the 25 who died on the job in land based work last year, were foreign workers. This corresponds to 40 percent of all land-based occupational deaths. Although the figure is lower than in 2015, the proportion of the total number of occupational deaths is higher.
Given high-risk jobs
– What we have experienced in the control of foreign workers is that they are often placed in high-risk jobs. High-risk jobs, language problems, poor training and lack of protective clothing are a dangerous combination.
This can have major and serious consequences, both for themselves and others, says Acting Director Borghild Lekve from The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) to the news agency NTB.
Three of the foreign fatalities last year were from Lithuania, while the remainder came from Croatia, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden.
The three Lithuanians died in the large clay landslide on Sørum in Akershus, two died in connection with work on power lines, two were killed in traffic accidents, two died in falls and a man from Slovakia was killed when a gas grill exploded at Kristiansand Zoo (Dyreparken).
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
