New EU-OSHA report highlights workplace risks in Europe's health and social care sector
A new report from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) reveals that workplace accidents in Europe’s health and social care (HeSCare) sector have risen sharply over the past decade. The study — carried out by Panteia, in collaboration with VHP Human Performance, IKEI Research & Consultancy, and EUROGIP — provides an in-depth overview of the nature, causes, and prevention of accidents in one of Europe’s most essential yet high-risk sectors.
Key findings
In 2022, a total of 469,685 non-fatal accidents occurred in the EU’s health and social care sector — equal to 16% of all workplace accidents, almost double the share from 2012. The incidence rate (accidents per 100,000 workers) also increased markedly, from 1,462 in 2012 to 2,134 in 2022, placing HeSCare among the most accident-prone sectors in Europe.
Most accidents occur in health care activities (234,202), followed by residential care (125,834) and social work (109,648). The likelihood of non-fatal accidents is similar for men and women overall, although slightly higher for men in social work, and the risk increases with age.
These findings underline that, despite advances in safety and awareness, care workers continue to face high physical and psychosocial demands. Their exposure to lifting, moving patients, working under pressure, and dealing with unpredictable situations means that accidents remain a persistent challenge.
The report identifies a wide range of accident types, most commonly slips, trips and falls, overexertion injuries, sharp and needlestick incidents, and exposure to biological or hazardous substances. Accidents related to workplace violence and vehicle use during care activities are also significant concerns.
This variety reflects the diverse and demanding environments in which care professionals operate — from hospitals and residential facilities to community and home-based settings.
Prevention and policy implications
To better understand and prevent accidents, the study applies the Swiss Cheese Model of accident causation, which emphasises that incidents occur when multiple safety barriers fail simultaneously. Prevention, therefore, requires a layered approach that combines:
- sound technical design and maintenance of workplaces and equipment,
- effective organisational measures such as clear procedures, safe scheduling and reporting systems, and
- strong human behaviour and safety culture, encouraging awareness, communication and adherence to safe practices.
Accidents in the HeSCare sector have serious implications beyond individual injuries. They affect workers’ health and wellbeing, increase absenteeism and costs for employers, and put additional pressure on Europe’s already stretched care systems. Improving safety is therefore not only a matter of worker protection, but also of sustaining the sector’s long-term capacity and quality of care.
The project demonstrates the importance of European cooperation in addressing occupational risks in care work. For Panteia, contributing to this study reaffirms our commitment to evidence-based research that helps policymakers and practitioners improve working conditions and promote safe, sustainable care environments.
Read the full report (along with several case studies carried out in the context of the project) here.
