Throughout the past year, 69 workers in Israel were killed on the job, and an additional 589 were injured in workplace accidents. Those figures are based on a report by Kav LaOved, a nonprofit which advocates for all workers within Israeli society including Palestinians, migrant workers, and asylum seekers.
Of the 69 fatalities, 37 occurred in the construction sector (54%), 19 in the industrial sector, 12 in the services and commerce sectors, two in agriculture, and the remaining five in undetermined workplaces.
The year’s statistics demonstrate a decrease from 2023, when 88 workers were killed and 618 were injured. The decline is likely linked to reduced economic activity due to the war.
According to Kav LaOved, the overall accident rate across all industries in 2024 was 13.136 accidents and 1.52 fatalities per 100,000 workers, lower than both 2023 (14.74 accidents and 1.81 fatalities per 100,000) and 2022 (14 accidents and 1.66 fatalities per 100,000). However, there was a rise in injuries in the second half of 2024 (348 cases) compared to the first half (250 cases), likely reflecting reduced activity in key sectors such as construction and industry earlier in the year due to the war.
The fatality rate in the construction sector stood at 13.73 deaths per 100,000 workers, more than double the EU average of 6.3 per 100,000. While this marks a decline from 2023 (15.35 fatalities per 100,000), it is higher than in 2022 (12.25 fatalities per 100,000).
Kav LaOved noted that the identities of the deceased are not always disclosed. Among the identified victims, 29% were Arab citizens of Israel, 21% were Jewish, 20% were Palestinians from jurisdictions of the Palestinian Authority, and 7% were Chinese workers.
Falls from heights were the leading cause of workplace accidents, accounting for 49% of injuries classified as moderate or severe (61% in construction, 27% in industry). Falling objects caused 17% of accidents (24% in industry).
Approximately half of fatal accidents were due to falls from heights (47%). Falling heavy objects caused 22%, and 10% resulted from vehicle-related workplace accidents. Other causes of fatal accidents included collapses (4%), electric shock (4%), and entrapment in machinery or equipment (4%). In construction, falls from heights accounted for 59.5% of fatal accidents, falling objects 19%, and collapses of infrastructure or scaffolding 11%. In industry, falling heavy objects were the leading cause of fatalities (38.5%).
Kav LaOved noted that as of December 29, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration website reported 2,481 safety orders issued to employers by administration inspectors, the regulatory body responsible for ensuring worker safety and enforcing relevant laws. This represents a decrease of approximately 4% compared to 2023. The number of these orders has been steadily declining since 2020, when 6,706 were sent out.
The Kav LaOved report highlighted sectors such as agriculture, where only 31 safety orders were issued in 2024, despite repeated warnings about systematic safety violations. Furthermore, in 703 cases, inspectors did not specify the responsible party, undermining administrative transparency and accountability.
The main reasons for issuing safety orders were the failure to conduct boiler inspections (183 orders), lack of electrical inspections (123 orders), unsafe elevators (94 orders), and general site deficiencies (72 orders). According to the administration, it employed about 80 inspectors in 2024.
“The state of workplace safety in Israel remains grim,” the Kav LaOved report concluded, adding that without the war, the numbers for 2024 would likely have mirrored the high casualty and injury rates of 2023. The organization reiterated a longstanding recommendation to establish a national occupational safety and health authority.
Kav LaOved’s recommendations for improving safety include implementing differential insurance premiums based on employers’ safety records, mandating safety nets to prevent falls at construction sites, requiring professional training for all construction workers, and finalizing legislation to extend criminal liability to senior management in contracting and development companies. The organization also recommends including safety conditions in building permits issued by local authorities, expanding the number of inspectors and improving enforcement mechanisms, and enhancing transparency regarding workplace accidents by the Safety and Health Administration.
This article was translated from Hebrew by Hannah Blount.
