Workplace safety in the Archipelago has shown positive developments in the first three months of the year. Coinciding with the week of World Day for Safety and Health at Work, official data confirm that accident rates continue the downward trend initiated last year.
Between January and March 2026, 5,488 accidents resulting in sick leave were recorded in the islands, a decrease of 418 incidents compared to the same period in 2025. This 7.1% absolute decrease becomes even more significant when adjusted for the current volume of workers. The incidence rate, which measures incidents per 100,000 employees, has fallen by 9.81% across the autonomous community.
The accident severity balance shows particularly significant figures in the most critical cases. Fatal workplace accidents have dropped by 50% compared to the first quarter of the previous year, while serious incidents have decreased by 25%. Minor accidents also saw a reduction of 6.92%.
By territory, the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife leads the improvement with a 16.81% drop in its incidence rate. In the province of Las Palmas, the decrease was 3.94%. Although Gran Canaria and Tenerife continue to concentrate the largest volume of cases due to their demographic weight, the decline has been generalized across most of the island territory.
The reduction in workplace accidents between January and March has been transversal across all economic activities. The primary sector leads this progress with a 17.5% decrease in Agriculture and Fishing. This is followed by Industry with a 9.3% reduction, Construction with 8.18% less, and Services, which, despite managing the largest volume of workers, saw its accident rate drop by 6.17%.
Regarding the nature of the incidents, the most recurrent causes in the islands continue to be falls, physical overexertion, and contact with cutting agents. However, statistics also reflect an improvement in commuting safety with 78 fewer "in itinere" accidents recorded, which are those occurring during travel to or from the workplace.
