Uruguay Workplace Accidents Stabilize for First Time Since Pandemic

Uruguay has achieved a significant milestone in workplace safety, with the number of accidents stabilizing for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Labor and Social Security announced that in 2025, the incidence of workplace accidents registered 3,006 per 100,000 contributors. This marks a halt to the upward trend observed between 2021 and 2024, which had seen an 18% cumulative increase in accidents.

According to a report tracking labor accidents from 2014 to 2025, there was a 23% decrease in accidents between 2014 and 2019. However, the subsequent years saw a concerning rise. The ministry had projected 3,194 accidents per 100,000 contributors for 2025, making the actual figure of 3,006 a welcome plateau.

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In 2025, as a result not of the exclusive work of the Ministry, but of a collective effort by the State, employers, and workers with a national commitment to life, we managed to stop the increase in the number of accidents, turning that upward line into a horizontal one.

"In 2025, as a result not of the exclusive work of the Ministry, but of a collective effort by the State, employers, and workers with a national commitment to life, we managed to stop the increase in the number of accidents, turning that upward line into a horizontal one," stated Luis Puig, Inspector General of Labor and Social Security. He highlighted that this stabilization is crucial, especially as the rate had been increasing by 180 to 200 accidents per 100,000 insured workers each month. Puig also noted a significant reduction in fatal accidents in the last three quarters, though accidents related to traffic while on duty remain a concern.

Despite the positive development, Puig cautioned against complacency. "Let no one think that the objective has been met. We must reaffirm the commitment of the State, employers, and workers to continue associating work with life and not with accidents, disability, or death," he concluded, underscoring the ongoing need for vigilance and collective action.

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Let no one think that the objective has been met. We must reaffirm the commitment of the State, employers, and workers to continue associating work with life and not with accidents, disability, or death.