text: **Accidents at work**
  
  **Accidents at work**are the most common indicator regarding the quality of prevention in an enterprise, 
  a sector or a country. Between 1998 and 2019 (EU level),**the incidence**rate of**non-fatal work**
  **accidents**fell about 58%, from 4,089 to 1,713. Most of this decrease took place in the first half of this 
  decade. Between 1998 and 2008, the incidence rate fell by 54%, and between 2009 and 2019 by 9%. 
  
  Between 1998 and 2019, the**incidence rate for fatal accidents**dropped about 57% from 5.03 to 2.17, 
  almost the same decrease as for non-fatal accidents. 
  
  Four major sectors,**agriculture, manufacturing, construction and transport**, employed just under 
  40% of the workforce (in 1998 as well as in 2019). However, in 1998, more than 60% of the accidents 
  at work took place in these sectors, thus the reduction of accidents in these sectors was crucial for the 
  overall reduction. In addition, economic developments — sector decline and shift of workforce between 
  sectors — reduced the number of workers exposed to common safety risks in these sectors. 