The grim records keep piling up in terms of deaths in work accidents: the Health Insurance confirmed on Tuesday that 783 people died in 2025 from work accidents in the private sector, 19 more than in 2024, already a record year.
To these deaths from workplace accidents must be added 344 deaths occurring in commuting accidents, a number that is also on the rise, and 204 related to occupational diseases, for a total of 1,331 deaths (+34 compared to 2024), it was detailed, in a press release, The health insurance system confirmed figures leaked by the CGT in September.
«"Discomfort accounts for more than half of the cases."»
Among the deaths treated as work-related accidents, «"illnesses account for more than half of the cases"«", it is added.
Overall, the number of work-related accidents involving employees with work stoppage or permanent disability remained stable in 2025, at 551,225 accidents, with a frequency index also similar to that of 2024, at 26.4 accidents per 1,000 employees, according to the Health Insurance, which is due to provide more detailed data in its annual report by the end of October.
On the other hand, the number of commuting accidents increased by 1.7 % over a year to 96,306 incidents resulting in a work stoppage or permanent disability, as did the number of occupational diseases which continued to increase in 2025, by just over 3%, with nearly 90 % related to musculoskeletal disorders.
Read also Workplace deaths, a scourge that "could be avoided"«
Young people, 16% of the victims
Young people are still overrepresented among the victims, as those under 25 account for 11% of employees in the general scheme, but for 16% of victims of work accidents and 23% of those of commuting accidents.
Health insurance statistics do not take into account farmers and agricultural workers, public service employees and self-employed people who have not taken out voluntary insurance for accidents and occupational diseases.
Daily allowances paid to employees on sick leave due to occupational risks reached 5.4 billion euros in 2025, an amount that increased by more than 10% in one year.
In its search for savings, the government published a decree on October 1st lowering the maximum salary taken into account for calculating daily allowances following a workplace accident or occupational illness. The draft budget for 2027, currently under review in the National Assembly, also plans to make the tax treatment of daily allowances for sick leave less favorable.
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