More than 900 serious injuries and 30 deaths have hit Zimbabwe’s engineering sector this year alone.

This is according to Zimbabwe’s acting labour and social services minister, Theresa Makone, who has said work related accidents and deaths in the country’s engineering sector are rising at an alarming rate.

She explained that statistics collected over the last five years have showed a consistent rise in the number of occupational deaths, injuries and diseases.

“The 959 serious injuries and 30 deaths at work in January and February this year are higher than in the same period last year, when there were 821 serious injuries and 17 deaths,” she said.

According to Makone, in 2008 there were 3 810 serious injuries, with 65 deaths. In 2009 the statistics were lower with 3 122 serious injuries and 64 fatalities.

In 2010 the number of serious injuries at work shot up to 4 410 serious injuries, 90 of which were fatal. In 2011 there was a slight reduction to 4 158 serious injuries at work resulting in 75 deaths. And last year, the number of serious injuries at work escalated to a record 5 141 serious injuries, 107 of which resulted in death, she said.

Makone explained that some of the causes for the alarming increase in work related deaths and injuries are owing to diseases such as pneumoconiosis, which is a lung disease caused by the inhalation of dust, often in mines.

Makone further adds that six cases of pneumoconiosis were identified in January and February this year, which is half the total number of such cases recorded in 2012.

“This disease, which is incurable, once it has set in is caused by the inhalation of hazardous dust at work and is 100% preventable,” she said.

However, Makone explained that it is ‘unfortunate’ that the engineering sector in Zimbabwe is ‘failing’ to observe best practices to prevent accidents and loss of life.

“The government of Zimbabwe with its social partners has put structures in place to safeguard the safety and social security of workers in the country,” she concluded.