A Concise Guide to ESAW Methodology for Recording Workplace Accidents

Recording and reporting workplace accidents accurately and promptly are essential elements of a robust occupational health and safety management system. This process goes beyond legal compliance, serving as a cornerstone for protecting employee well-being, fostering a proactive safety culture, and driving ongoing improvement across the organization.

What is ESAW

The European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW) project, initiated in 1990, stems from the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC, which establishes guidelines to improve health and safety of employees. This directive obligates employers to maintain records of workplace accidents that lead to employee incapacity and to generate reports on these incidents, in line with national laws and practices.

ESAW is an effort to standardize workplace accident data across Europe. This harmonized approach enables a thorough analysis of occupational health and safety performance by providing consistent, comparable data across countries. By establishing a uniform methodology for recording and reporting accidents at work, ESAW facilitates the collection of high-quality data that supports informed decision-making and the development of tailored occupational health and safety interventions.

How the ESAW Methodology Standardizes Accident Records

The ESAW methodology provides a structured framework for recording and classifying workplace accidents, ensuring that data is consistent and comparable across organizations and nations.

Common Definitions

ESAW defines essential terms and concepts, clarifying what qualifies as a workplace accident. By establishing uniform definitions, ESAW minimizes ambiguity in data interpretation, leading to more accurate reporting and analysis.

Standardized Classifications

ESAW introduces standardized classifications for various aspects of accidents, including the events and materials involved, types and severity of injuries, and other relevant factors. These classifications support consistent categorization, making it possible to conduct meaningful analyses and report findings effectively at both national and European levels.

Reporting Criteria

The methodology outlines specific criteria for reporting workplace accidents, guiding organizations in collecting essential information in a consistent and standardized format.

Key Concepts in ESAW Methodology

Definition of a Workplace Accident

To standardize the recording and reporting of workplace accidents, ESAW provides a clear definition: an accident at work is defined as “a discrete occurrence in the course of work which leads to physical or mental harm.” This definition serves as the foundation for consistent data collection across organizations and jurisdictions.

Types of Injuries Included in ESAW Reporting

Included Cases:

• Acute Poisoning: Instances where employees experience poisoning from exposure to hazardous substances during work.
• Wilful Acts by Others: Injuries intentionally caused by another individual.
• Accidents at Another Employer’s Premises: Injuries sustained while an employee is conducting business at another location, such as attending meetings, providing services, or performing work-related tasks. This may include off-site meetings, deliveries, repairs, and client site activities.
• Accidents in Public Spaces or on Public Transport: This covers road traffic accidents occurring during work-related travel on public roads or business premises. It applies particularly to occupations with regular travel on public roads, such as drivers and field service personnel.

Excluded Cases:

• Commuting Accidents: Injuries sustained during the routine journey between home and the workplace.
• Self-Inflicted Injuries: Injuries that are deliberately self-inflicted by the individual.
• Accidents Due to Natural Causes: Injuries resulting solely from medical conditions (e.g., a cardiac incident) without any work-related contributing factors.
• Private Accidents: Injuries that occur during non-work-related activities and offsite.
• Injuries to Members of the Public: This includes accidents involving non-employees, such as family members, even if they are present on business premises.

Key Variables for Describing an Accident

To ensure thorough and consistent accident records, ESAW defines specific variables to describe essential details about the accident:

Location, Victim, and Time:

• Economic activity of the employer using the NACE Rev.2 classification
• Occupation (ISCO-08), employment status (ISCE-93), age, gender, and nationality of the injured person
• Business size and location of the accident site
• Date and time of the accident

Consequences:

• Type of Injury
• Body Part Injured
• Days Lost (Severity of injury)

Circumstances and Causes:

• Working environment and setting
• General activity the employee was performing
• Specific activity immediately preceding the accident and any related material agents
• Deviation or event leading to the accident and associated material agents
• Contact and mode of injury with relevant material agents involved in the injury

Recording and Reporting of Accident Data

Accurate and comprehensive recording of accident data is crucial for maintaining a safe work environment. The variables outlined in the ESAW methodology provide essential insights into the accident, the injured person, and the employer, enabling meaningful analysis and preventive measures.

Type of Injury

The "Type of Injury" code describes the physical consequences of the injury sustained by the individual. When multiple injuries occur, the code for the most severe injury should generally be used. However, if injuries of equal severity are present, the code "Multiple Injuries (120)" is selected to reflect this.

The main categories of injury types include:

• Wounds and Superficial Injuries: This category includes surface injuries like foreign bodies entering the eye or ear, non-venomous insect bites, and nail loss.
• Bone Fractures: Encompasses all types of fractures.
• Dislocations, Sprains, and Strains: Covers acute musculoskeletal injuries due to over-straining muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints.
• Traumatic Loss of an Organ or Body Part: This includes amputations, crush injuries, and enucleations (e.g., traumatic eye avulsions, loss of ear tissue).
• Concussion and Internal Injuries: Encompasses all internal injuries not classified as fractures.
• Burns, Scalds, and Frostbite: This category includes burns from ingestion of caustic or corrosive substances and frostbite, but excludes hypothermia.
• Poisoning and Infections: Excludes cases of anaphylactic shock.
• Drowning and Suffocation: Excludes asphyxiation from toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.
• Effects of Sound, Vibration, and Pressure: Covers injuries due to exposure to high sound levels, intense vibrations, or pressure changes.
• Effects of Extreme Heat, Light, and Radiation: Includes injuries from high temperatures and radiation exposure but excludes sunburn and frostbite.
• Shock: Encompasses traumatic shocks, such as electric shocks, lightning strikes, or delayed shock following injury, and includes non-physical trauma from animal attacks, natural disasters, and similar events.
• Multiple Injuries: Used only when two or more injuries of equal severity are present.
• Injuries Not Classified Under Other Headings: This group is a catch-all for injuries not covered by other categories, such as nerve and spinal cord injuries, blood vessel injuries, and foreign bodies entering natural orifices.

Part of Body Injured

This variable identifies the specific body part affected by the injury. Only one code is selected to represent the injured body part, even in cases involving multiple injuries. If several body parts are affected, the code should reflect the most severe injury (e.g., an amputation would take precedence over a fracture). For injuries affecting larger areas, such as burns, the code “Multiple sites of the body affected (78)” is recommended to accurately represent the extent of the injury.

Recording the specific body part injured in workplace accidents is crucial for identifying patterns and assessing risk exposure, as certain tasks or environments may pose a higher threat to specific body parts. This detailed information enables organizations to pinpoint where injuries frequently occur, helping them tailor interventions to protect vulnerable areas. For instance, if hand injuries are consistently reported, this might indicate the need for improved hand protection, such as gloves with better grip or cut-resistant materials, or increased safety measures in tasks involving machinery or sharp tools.

Days Lost (Severity)

The severity of a workplace accident is measured by the total number of full calendar days during which the injured person is unable to work. Only full days where no work was performed are counted, with the day of the accident itself excluded. This calculation includes weekends, public holidays, and other days that the injured individual would typically not work, whether they are part-time or full-time employees.

Accurately recording lost days is essential not only for meeting regulatory requirements but also for calculating key performance indicators such as accident severity rates. These metrics provide insights into the impact of accidents on the workforce and help organizations assess the effectiveness of their safety measures.

ESAW also uses specific codes to indicate permanent incapacity and fatal accidents. In these cases, only the days lost prior to the diagnosis of permanent incapacity or death are included in the lost days calculation.

Workstation

The "Workstation" variable identifies the specific setting where the injured person was performing their task at the time of the accident. It distinguishes between a usual workstation, where the individual typically works, and an occasional or mobile workstation, where the employee may work less frequently. This information is valuable for understanding the context of the accident, as the nature of the workstation often influences the risk factors and conditions associated with the event.

Working Environment

The "Working Environment" variable describes the specific workplace, work premises, or general environment where an accident took place. Each code corresponds to a distinct work setting, allowing for accurate categorization and analysis of accidents based on the environment in which they occur.

Differentiating between environments is key. For example, while a classroom in a school and a training room in a factory may have similar purposes, they fall under distinct environment codes. Similarly, tasks performed at a shipyard versus on a ship at sea require separate codes due to the unique conditions of each setting.

When coding the work environment, focus on the physical setting rather than the specific activity being performed, with the exception of construction sites. For instance:

• Non-Construction Activities: If an employee is changing light bulbs in a school corridor, the environment should be coded as "Teaching establishment, school, secondary school, college, university, crèche, day nursery (042)." However, a staircase in a factory would be coded as "Production area, factory, workshop (011)."
• Construction Activities: For any construction-related work within an environment, such as painting, electrical work, or renovations at a school, the environment should be coded as "Construction site - building being constructed (021)."

Additionally, shared spaces - like entrances, corridors, staircases, and extensions - are considered integral parts of the same environment. For example, a hospital corridor is coded as "Health establishment, private hospital, hospital, nursing home (051)," while a factory stairwell remains part of the "Production area, factory, workshop (011)" environment.

Working Process

The "Working Process" variable categorizes the general activity or task the injured person was performing at the time of the accident. This variable reflects the broader work process, rather than the specific action being performed in the accident’s moment.

For example, if an employee is injured while walking to the cafeteria during a lunch break, this activity would be coded as “Movement (61)”. Conversely, if a cleaner sprains their wrist while moving between offices, the working process would be coded as “Cleaning working areas (53)”.

Construction work often falls under the broader category of "Excavation, construction, repair, demolition (20)," but individual activities are coded based on their nature:

• Preparing a construction site: “Setting up, preparation, installation, mounting, disassembling, dismantling (51)”
• Excavation or leveling work: “Excavation (21)”
• Crane installation: “Setting up, preparation, installation, mounting, disassembling, dismantling (51)”
• On-site crane maintenance or repairs: “Maintenance, repair, tuning, adjustment (52)”
• Site cleanup after construction: “Cleaning working areas (53)”
• Waste loading and disposal: “Waste management, disposal, waste treatment of all kinds (54)”

Specific Physical Activity

The "Specific Physical Activity" variable identifies the precise action the injured person was performing at the moment of the accident. This activity is distinct from both the broader working process and the person's occupation, focusing instead on the intentional action immediately preceding the accident.

To clarify, let’s revisit two examples:

• Example 1: A cleaning worker sprains their wrist while walking between offices as part of a cleaning task. Here, the specific activity at the time of accident would be coded as “Walking, running, going up, going down, etc. (61)"
• Example 2: If a worker who has spent the afternoon cleaning a machine sustains an injury while entering the cafeteria for lunch, the specific activity would also be movement-related, such as "Getting in or out (62)."

However, if the same worker was injured while cleaning with a hand tool, the specific activity would fall under "Working with hand-held tools (20)."

When tools or materials are used outside of their intended purpose, this distinction should be reflected in the coding. For example, if a flat chisel is used in different ways, each scenario would have its own code:

• Using the chisel as a hand tool: "Working with hand-held tools - manual (21)"
• Throwing the chisel: "Throwing, flinging away (44)"
• Using the chisel to open a bottle: "Opening, closing (box, package, parcel) (45)"
• Holding the chisel without specific use: "Manually taking hold of, grasping, seizing, holding, placing (41)"

Similarly, consider the different codes for tasks involved in changing a vehicle tire:

• Holding the tire before removal: "Manually taking hold of, grasping, seizing, holding, placing (41)"
• Removing and lowering the tire: "Carrying vertically - lifting, raising, lowering an object (51)"
• Raising a spare tire to install: "Carrying vertically - lifting, raising, lowering an object (51)"
• Placing the tire: "Fastening, hanging up, raising, putting up - on a vertical level (43)"

By using these specific activity codes, organizations can capture a detailed picture of the accident circumstances, supporting accurate data collection and meaningful accident analysis.

Deviation

"Deviation" refers to the unexpected event or series of events that disrupt the normal course of an activity, ultimately causing an accident. In cases where multiple events lead to an injury, only the last deviation (the one closest to the actual contact causing injury) is recorded.

For example, consider a laboratory technician handling a glass bottle of corrosive solution:

1. The technician drops the bottle.
2. The bottle breaks.
3. The solution splashes onto the technician.
4. The solution causes burns upon contact.

In this scenario, there are three deviations: “Loss of control (total or partial) (42)”, “Breakage, bursting - causing splinters (32)”, and “Liquid state – leaking, oozing, flowing, splashing, spraying (22)”. However, the last deviation is recorded, as it is closest to the injury-causing event.

The ESAW methodology organizes deviation codes to reflect the type and sequence of events leading to accidents:

• 10-19: Deviations due to electrical failures, static electricity, explosions, or fires.
• 20-29: Unexpected appearance or contact with gasses, liquids, vapors, or dust.
• 30-39: Events outside the injured person's control, such as breakage or collapse.
• 40-49: Loss of control of a material agent by the injured person or another individual. This may include total or partial loss of control.
• 50-59: Slips, trips, and falls. This range differentiates between falls at the same level and those from a height.
• 60-69 and 70-79: Injuries from body movements. The 60-69 range generally covers injuries without physical strain, while 70-79 covers incidents involving significant exertion, often resulting in internal injuries.
• 80-89: Physical violence or traumatic events.

Examples of Deviation Codes:

• Breakage of a ladder step: "Breakage of material - at joint, at seams (31)"
• Furniture tipping over onto the injured person: "Slip, fall, collapse of material agent - on the same level (35)"
• A handheld or carried item tipping over: "Loss of control (total or partial) – of objects (being carried, moved, handled, etc.) (44)"
• Falling from a chair, ladder, or scaffold to a lower level: "Fall of person – to a lower level (51)"
• Slipping, tripping, or falling while walking: "Slipping – stumbling and falling – fall of of person – on the same level (52)"
• Musculoskeletal injury while pushing or pulling a load: "Pushing, pulling (72)"
• Tripping without falling: "Treading badly, twisting leg or ankle, slipping without falling (75)"

Contact and Mode of Injury

The "Contact and Mode of Injury" code describes how the injured person sustained the injury, specifically identifying the mode of contact with the object or substance causing harm. Examples include striking a surface, making contact with a sharp object, or being exposed to hazardous substances. To ensure precision, only the event that led to the most severe injury should be recorded.

The ESAW methodology categorizes these injury contacts within specific code ranges:

• 10-19: Injuries caused by exposure to electrical voltage, temperature, or hazardous substances. This range includes burns, shocks, and chemical exposures.
• 20-29: Events leading to suffocation or asphyxiation due to oxygen deficiency.
• 31-39: Situations where the injured person is in motion and contacts a stationary object. For example, "Vertical motion, crash on or against (resulting from fall)" applies when an injury results from falling and hitting a fixed object.
• 40-49: Instances where the object causing the injury is in motion, potentially colliding with or striking the injured person.
• 50-59: Injuries involving cuts, punctures, scratches, or abrasions from sharp, pointed, rough, or coarse material agents.
• 60-69: Crushing injuries that occur when the injured person is trapped between or under objects. These incidents typically involve forceful contact due to the object's size, weight, pressure, or speed.
• 70-79: Injuries resulting from physical or mental stress.
• 80-89: Injuries involving bites, stings, or aggressive contacts.

Examples of Contact and Mode of Injury Codes:

• Touching live wires resulting in electric shock: "Direct contact with electricity, receipt of electrical charge in the body (12)"
• Breathing in toxic fumes leading to asphyxiation: "Enveloped in, surrounded by gas or airborne particles (23)"
• Falling and hitting a surface (e.g., ground or floor): "Vertical motion, crash on or against (resulting from a fall) (31)"
• Struck by a moving vehicle or equipment: "Collision with an object, including vehicles - collision with a person (the victim is moving) (45)"
• Cut by a knife while working: "Contact with a sharp material agent (knife, blade etc.) (51)"
• Crushed between two heavy objects: "Trapped, crushed - between (62)"

Material Agent

"Material agents" refer to the objects, tools, or equipment associated with the specific activity, deviation, or mode of injury. These agents play a critical role in identifying the elements involved in the accident, providing valuable context for analysis and preventive action.

Types of Material Agents:

1. Material Agent Related to Specific Activity: This is the tool, object, or device the injured person was using when the accident occurred. If multiple agents were involved, record the one most closely connected to the activity or injury.
2. Material Agent Related to Deviation: This refers to the tool, object, or device that caused the activity to deviate from its normal course, leading to the accident. In cases of multiple agents, select the one most directly associated with the deviation event.
3. Material Agent Related to Mode of Injury: This is the object, tool, device, or natural element with which the injured person came into direct contact, causing the injury. If several agents are involved, choose the one that caused the most serious injury.

All three types of material agents are recorded from the same list. In some cases, the same agent may apply to all categories, while in others, they may differ or be absent altogether.

Material Agent Code Groups:

• 01.00 : Buildings, structures, surfaces - at ground level
• 02.00 : Buildings, structures, surfaces - above ground level
• 03.00 : Buildings, structures, surfaces - below ground level
• 04.00 : Systems for the supply and distribution of materials, pipe networks
• 05.00 : Motors, systems for energy transmission and storage
• 06.00 : Hand tools, not powered
• 07.00 : Hand-held or hand-guided tools, mechanical
• 08.00 : Hand tools - without specification of power source
• 09.00 : Machines and equipment – portable or mobile
• 10.00 : Machines and equipment – fixed
• 11.00 : Conveying, transport and storage systems
• 12.00 : Land vehicles
• 13.00 : Other transport vehicles
• 14.00 : Materials, objects, products, machine or vehicle components, debris, dust
• 15.00 : Chemical, explosive, radioactive, biological substances
• 16.00 : Safety devices and equipment
• 17.00 : Office equipment, personal equipment, sports equipment, weapons, domestic appliances
• 18.00 : Living organisms and human beings
• 19.00 : Bulk waste
• 20.00 : Physical phenomena and natural elements
• 99.00 : Other material agents

Codes 01 to 03 are primarily used when the injured person falls on or collides with a surface.

Codes 04 to 11 are applicable for accidents involving machinery or tools, including those caused by equipment malfunctions.?

Codes 12 and 13 apply to transportation vehicles; however, civil engineering and agricultural devices are coded under codes 09.

Example Codings

Example 1: On a construction site, an employee carrying a tool up a stair steps on a nail sticking out of a piece of wood left on the ground.

• Work Environment: Construction site – building under construction (21)
• Working Process: New construction – building (22)
• Specific Activity: Walking, running, going up, going down, etc. (61)
• Material Agent (Specific Activity): Parts of building, above ground level - fixed (roofs, terraces, doors and windows, stairs, quays) (02.01)
• Deviation: Walking on a sharp object (61)
• Material Agent (Deviation): Surfaces at ground level - ground and floors (indoor or outdoor, farmland, sports fields, slippery floors, cluttered floors, plank with nails in) (01.02)
• Contact - Mode of Injury: Contact with a pointed material agent (nail, sharp tool, etc.) (52)
• Material Agent (Injury): Joining devices: nuts, bolts, screws, nails, etc. (14.04)

Example 2: In a hospital, a nurse accidentally pricks their thumb on another needle while discarding a syringe in the waste bin.

• Work Environment: Health establishment, private hospital, hospital, nursing home (51)
• Working Process: Service, care, assistance, to the general public (41)
• Specific Activity: Pouring, pouring into, filling up, watering, spraying, emptying, baling out (46)
• Material Agent (Specific Activity): Miscellaneous packaging, small and medium-sized, mobile (skips, miscellaneous containers, bottles, crates, extinguishers) (11.09)
• Deviation: Uncoordinated movements, spurious or untimely actions (64)
• Material Agent (Deviation): Hand tools, not powered - for medical and surgical work - sharp, cutting (06.14)
• Contact - Mode of Injury: Contact with a pointed material agent (nail, sharp tool, etc.) (52)
• Material Agent (Injury): Hand tools, not powered - for medical and surgical work - sharp, cutting (06.14)

Example 3: In an office, an employee falls to the floor when a hook on a portable ladder breaks while they are changing a ceiling light.

• Work Environment: Office, meeting room, library, etc. (41)
• Working Process: Maintenance, repair, tuning, adjustment (52)
• Specific Activity: Crawling, climbing, etc. (64)
• Material Agent (Specific Activity): Structures, surfaces, above ground level - mobile (including scaffolding, mobile ladders, cradles, elevating platforms) (02.03)
• Deviation: Breakage of material - at joint, at seams (31)
• Material Agent (Deviation): Lifting equipment, securing, gripping, and miscellaneous handling devices (including slings, hooks, ropes) (11.05)
• Contact - Mode of Injury: Vertical motion, crash on or against (resulting from a fall) (31)
• Material Agent (Injury): Surfaces at ground level - ground and floors (indoor or outdoor, farmland, sports fields, slippery floors, cluttered floors, plank with nails in) (01.02)