Bahrainis faced ‘more’ accidents at worksites compared to expats

Bahrainis have faced more worksite accidents than non-Bahrainis during the second quarter of this year, according to a latest statistics.     Statistics issued by the General Organisation for Social Insurance (GOSI) revealed that in the second quarter of 2019 the primary victims of worksite accidents were Bahrainis. 

The report, which compiled data from both private and public sectors showed that a total of 583 cases of worksite injures were reported in the second quarter of the year. Of the total, 321 accidents were faced by Bahrainis while non-Bahrainis met with 262 worksite accidents. The private sector saw the vast majority of the accidents at 470, while the public sector only had 113 cases.

The injuries from various accidents were caused through slipping and falling, carrying heavy objects, cuts by sharp objects, cuts by mechanical issues and sharp objects piercing into the body. Over a thousand people were injured in worksite accidents last year. The statistics revealed by the Social Insurance Organisation (SIO) says 1,037 people were injured in worksite accidents, which includes 613 Bahrainis and 424 expatriates.

In the public sector last year, 221 cases of worksite accidents were recorded, 198 involved Bahrainis while expatriates were the victims in 23 accidents. However, Bahrain is on the right track when it comes to curbing the number of serious worksite accidents as the number of accidents that led to serious injuries or fatalities has reduced by more than 30 per cent in recent years, the SIO observed. The reduction has been partly attributed to the rigorous awareness campaigns done by the Labour Ministry to bring awareness about the need to follow safety procedures when performing hazardous work.

This year has seen a few fatal worksite accidents. In June, a man was run over by a truck as he was working. The deceased was identified as Indian national Raju, who was in his late 30s. He worked as a mason with a construction firm. Another construction worker who died last month in a worksite accident was a Bangladeshi national. According to sources, he fell to his death from the 11th floor of a building in Juffair. The victim was later identified as 29 years old Sahadot who hailed from Pabna district in Bangladesh.