The Mutual Societies identified 2,829 occupational diseases in the CAPV in 2022, of which only in six of the cases the Labor Inspectorate opened the files. These data are collected in the report LAB published this week. The union explains that these occupational diseases are classified by the Mutual Societies in the first instance and that most are referred to Osakidetza as an ordinary contingency. He denounces that the monitoring carried out by the Labor Inspectorate is "testimonial" and that employers "dare to get sick at work free of charge".

More deaths from occupational illness than accidents at work

LAB stresses that occupational diseases cause far more deaths than accidents, although the latter are not included in the statistics. Data on the behaviour of accidents at work and occupational diseases in the European Union indicate that for each death related to accidents at work there are 18 deaths due to occupational illness.

Unregistered

LAB's general coordinator, Garbiñe Aranburu, has denounced in the Basque Country that there is no record of occupational diseases: "Mutual societies work hard to hide this reality". It is therefore difficult to show the reality of diseases. He also explains that 33% of occupational deaths last year were non-traumatic deaths and that in these cases the influence of work and psychosocial risks are not analyzed.