Suriname

Organization responsible for the statistics

Arbeidsinspectie, Ministerie van Arbeid (Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour).

Periodicity

Annual.

Source

Reports of occupational injuries submitted to the Labour Inspectorate.

Objectives and users

To have a view of the occupational injuries in the country, for policy matters.

Major users:

Policy makers.

Coverage

Persons:

Paid employees.

In 1996, about 34,000 workers were covered.

Economic activities:

All economic activities and sectors, except public administration and defence.

Geographic areas:

Whole country.

Persons working outside the country are not covered, nor are persons normally resident outside the country who are involved in occupational accidents in Suriname.

Establishments:

All types and sizes of establishments.

Types of occupational accidents covered

The statistics cover reported injuries due to all types of occupational accidents.

Commuting accidents are included.

Occupational diseases are excluded.

Concepts and definitions

Occupational accident:

a sudden occurrence which results in the injury of the worker during his worktime.

Occupational injury:

a personal injury (physical or mental) incurred during a short period.

Commuting accident:

an accident occurring on the shortest way to or from work.

Worktime lost:

the number of days on which the worker did not work because of the accident.

Fatal occupational injury:

an occupational injury that resulted in death.

Temporary disability:

incapacity to work for at least one full day beyond the day on which the accident occurred, irrespective of whether the days of incapacity were days on which the victim would otherwise have been at work.

Permanent disability:

permanent physical or mental limitation due to an occupational accident.

Minimum period of absence from work: one day after the day of the accident.

Maximum period for death to be considered a fatal occupational injury: within the same calendar year as the accident.

Types of information compiled

(a) personal characteristics of persons injured;

(b) amount of worktime lost;

(d) characteristics of injuries;

(e) characteristics of employers or workplaces.

Measurement of worktime lost

Worktime lost is measured in workdays.

It is compiled for all occupational injuries, calculated as follows:

temporary incapacity to work: the number of days for which the insurance company paid wages;
permanent incapacity to work:
- total incapacity: loss of or loss of use of: both eyes, hand and foot, several parts of the body: 7,500 days;
- partial incapacity: varies according to the part of body lost or of which the use has been lost, from 750 days (for one finger) to 5,700 days (for an arm up to the shoulder);
fatal injury: 7,500 days.

Temporary absences for medical treatment are not included.

Classifications

(a) fatal or non-fatal accidents;

(b) extent of disability:

permanent or temporary disability;

(c) economic activity:

according to the International Standard Classification of All Economic Activities, Revision 2;

(d) occupation:

according to the International Standard Classification of Occupations 1968;

(e) type of injury;

(f) cause of accident:

agency related to the accident: machines; means of transport and lifting equipment; other equipment; materials substances and radiations; working environment; other agencies not classified elsewhere; agencies not classified for lack of sufficient data;

(g) duration of absence from work:

none;

(h) characteristics of workers:

age, sex;

(i) characteristics of accidents:

type of accident: falls of persons; struck by falling objects; stepping on, striking against or struck by objects, excluding falling objects; caught in or between objects; over-exertion or strenuous movements; exposure to or contact with extreme temperatures; exposure to or contact with electric current; exposure to or contact with harmful substances or radiations; other types of accident not elsewhere classified, including accidents not classified for lack of sufficient data;

(j) characteristics of employers or workplaces:

none.

Crossclassifications:

where necessary and possible:

occupation and type of injury;
type of injury and economic activity;
agency of accident and economic activity.

Reference period

Year.

An occupational injury is included in the statistics for the period (year) in which the accident occurred.

Worktime lost is included in the statistics for each of the periods (years) in which worktime was lost.

Estimates

Total number of persons injured.

Total number of workdays lost.

Historical background of the series

The statistics were first compiled in September 1947.

The following changes have been introduced:

computerized compilation of data in 1993;
revised classification of the nature of the injury in 1994;
revised classification of the part of body injured in 1994.

Documentation

Series available:

The following tables are published:

Number of occupational injuries, by:

part of body injured;
economic activity;
type of accident;
type of accident and economic activity;
agency of injury;
agency of injury and economic activity;
consequences;

Number of fatal injuries by economic activity.

Bibliographic references:

The data are published in:

Ministry of Labour, Department of Labour Statistics: Arveidsmarkt Informatie (biannual).

The data are not all published, but can be made available on request, in printed form and on diskette.

Data published by ILO:

The following data are furnished regularly to the ILO for publication in the Yearbook of Labour Statistics, relating to reported injuries (including commuting accidents) according to major division of economic activity: number of persons fatally injured, number of persons injured with lost workdays, total of these two groups; number of workdays lost by persons injured with lost workdays.

Confidentiality:

There are no restrictions on the publication or release of the data.

International standards

The current international statistical standards and guidelines were followed when the system for these statistics was revised.

Representative organizations of employers and workers and other users were consulted when the system was revised.

Method of data collection

Legislation:

Not available.

All occupational injuries must be notified to the relevant authority within 72 hours of the accident.

Reporting:

The employer or the person representing the employer at the place of the accident is required to notify the occupational injury the head of the department of Labour Inspection of the Ministry of Labour, using a standard form.

Data reported:

The form collects the following:

information about the injured worker: name, address, age, sex, establishment where the injured worker is employed, occupation;
information about the employer or the workplace: name and address of the employer; name address of the workplace;
information about the accident: date and hour; location; cause; type.

Changes planned:

None.