MADRID, Spain.- The National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) revealed an increase in deaths from occupational accidents in Cuba during the first half of 2024. Although the total number of incidents decreased compared to the same period of the previous year, the number of deaths increased by 8.7%, with a total of 25 deaths in 23 fatal incidents.
According to the report entitled “Labor Protection. Selected Indicators” and reviewed by EFEIn the first six months of the year, 851 occupational accidents were recorded, 34 fewer than in the first half of 2023, representing a reduction of 3.8%.
The number of injured people decreased by 5% compared to the same period in 2023, totalling 864 people affected. However, the mortality rate, which measures the number of deaths per 1,000 injured, increased from 25.3 to 28.9 points, which underlines the greater severity of the accidents recorded.
The sectors most affected by occupational mortality were TransportStorage and Communications, with six deaths; Agriculture, Livestock, Hunting and Forestry, with four deaths; and Manufacturing Industries, Electricity, Gas and Water Supply, and Commerce, with three deaths each. These data reflect the persistence of significant risks in key areas of the Cuban economy.
In a previous report published in May 2024, ONEI had already reported a decrease in workplace accidents in 2023 compared to 2022, with a total of 1,491 incidents, representing a drop of 10.6%. Despite this reduction in the number of accidents, the number of deaths remained stable at 52 people, increasing the mortality coefficient from 30.3 to 33.8 points. Havana was the province with the highest number of injuries in 2023, with 458 cases, and also topped the list of fatalities, with 13 deaths.
It is important to note that ONEI’s reports do not include data on accidents and deaths from the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) or the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), meaning that the figures presented could underestimate the true magnitude of the problem. A significant example of this omission is the fire at the Matanzas Supertanker Base in August 2022, which caused the death of 17 people, including several military service recruits.
At the beginning of this month, a report from the official newspaper Granma He referred to the limitations in the national production of protective equipment for workers due to the lack of inputs, the high costs of raw materials and the absence of a wholesale market. According to the authorities, these problems are aggravated by difficulties in the productive chain, the tax system, obtaining bank loans and the shortage of fuel and energy.
In addition, some suppliers have chosen to use lower-quality materials to reduce costs, which negatively affects the durability and effectiveness of this equipment. The Center for Registration and Approval of Personal Protective Equipment (CCEPP), of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, is the entity in charge of evaluating and approving this equipment. But the lack of comprehensive laboratories in Cuba that can perform all the necessary tests limits both national production and the import of equipment that has international certifications.
Although Cuba’s Labor Code states that occupational health and safety are intended to ensure safe conditions and prevent accidents and illnesses, the regulations are not followed in many cases, which contributes to the increase in deaths from workplace accidents.
