Employment in forestry unchanged

Nyhet | Statistik - 07 December 2023

In 2022, 30 200 people were employed in forestry, which is at the same level as in 2021. Occupational accidents in forestry decreased during 2022.

Approximately 30 200 persons were employed in forestry in 2022, the development from 2021 is too small to be statistically significant. The number of employed persons increased during 2003 to 2007 and has varied between 25 000 and 31 000 since then.

In 2022, 13 percent of employed persons in forestry were women. Slightly below the highest share, 15 percent, from 2017.

Almost 46 000 with income from forestry

The most recent statistics on the number of people who have an income from forestry are from 2021, when approximately 45 600 people had an income from forestry. That is about the same level as recent years but lower than the years 2008 to 2015 when on average 52 700 had an income from forestry per year. The estimations includes both income in the form of wage and income as a sole proprietor.

Traditional employment statistics are usually delimited to the ages 15 to 74 or to specific time periods during the year. Forestry as an activity is characterized by seasonal work patterns, non-annual income and forest owner with a high average age. For example, there were 6 600 persons with an income that were above the age of 74 during 2021. The number of people older than 74 with income from forestry has increased steadily for more than 10 years. In 2009, there were approximately 2,100 people.

Fewer reported occupational accidents in 2022

Together with the statistics on employment other statistics about occupational injuries from the Swedish Work Environment Authority are also published. The 96 accidents reported in 2022 is a decrease from 2021 when 130 injuries were reported. The number of reported injuries has fluctuated between 95 and 120 since 2008.

Note that these are only statistics on the number of reported accidents, there is no knowledge of the true occurrence of occupational accidents. Changes between years might only be a consequence of changed reporting habits. The two most common causes of the accidents are loss of control of machinery/equipment, followed by fall accidents. Since 2008 a total of 58 accidents have been fatal in forestry, sawmills and paper production industries.

Explanation

The term forestry is based on the Swedish Standard Industrial Classification (SNI2007) which is in term based on the classifications system used by the European Union NACE Rev 2.

Statistics Sweden’s Labour Force Survey is the source of number of employed persons in 02 Forestry. An employed person in the statistics is either an employee or is self-employed or a family worker. The survey is delimited to people between ages 15 and 74.

The number of people with income is based on gross income that has been registered in income tax statements and reports from the employer. Both income in terms of wage and income as a sole proprietor (self-employed person) are included. No negative incomes (losses in businesses) are calculated, and only Swedish residents are included. The statistics are based on several of Statistics Sweden’s registries on work, employment and income.

An occupational accident is a sudden incident, physical or psychological damage that has occurred at the workplace or other place where the injured person has been while performing work duties. Only accidents that have led to absence from work are included in the statistics. The Swedish Work Environment Authority is the responsible authority for these statistics.