38 freelancers die in work accidents until June, 12 more than in 2021

MADRID, 23 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

A total of 38 self-employed workers died in an occupational accident in the first half of the year, 12 more than in the same period of 2021, according to data from the Ministry of Labor released this Tuesday by the self-employed organization Uatae, which has requested specific protection measures for the colective.

Between January and June, self-employed workers suffered 17,086 occupational accidents with sick leave, 7.6% more than in the first half of 2021, with an increase of 7.9 in claims during the working day and an increase of 3% in the 'in itínere' (those that occur on the way from home to work or vice versa).

"The increase in accidents that have occurred in this semester cannot become the fixed photo of self-employed workers," warns Uatae, who calls for redoubling efforts so that insecurity and lack of protection are not established in the group.

For María José Landaburu, general secretary of Uatae, the data on work accidents "show only one side of the coin" and represent "the tip of the iceberg of the existing deficiencies in the protection of the group as a whole".

"There are work accidents that do not entail medical leave and therefore are left out of their accounting", denounced Landaburu, who has pointed out that in order to curb work accidents among the self-employed, precariousness must be reduced, which in turn means improving conditions and social protection of the group.