The safety of workers is an issue of utmost importance for Spanish society, where guarantees seem to be covered, except for the self-employed. Deaths of self-employed workers due to work-related accidents have increased by 24.1% during the first six months of 2026, despite the fact that the total number of accidents with sick leave has decreased. Between January and June, 36 self-employed workers have died, seven more than in the same period last year.
The figure is equivalent to approximately one self-employed person who dies every five days. In the same period, 13,358 have been registered occupational accidents with sick leave, compared to the 13,688 recorded a year earlier, which represents a decrease of 2.4%.
Of the total number of accidents, 12,389 occurred during the working day and 969 were on the way to and from work. The accidents that occurred during the day left 270 serious cases and 32 deaths, while the displacements added another 33 serious accidents and four deaths.
THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, THE MOST DANGEROUS
The construction has once again become one of the sectors with the highest accident rate among the self-employed. During the first half of the year, it has registered 3,809 accidentsduring the day, of which 75 were serious and 14 fatal. The sector accounts for around 31% of workplace accidents among the self-employed, but almost 44% of deaths.
The incidence rates also reflect important differences according to the activity. The average among the self-employed is 60.8 accidents per 100,000 workers, while in construction it rises to 155.1. The agricultural sector reaches 122.8 accidents, industry 103.8 and services remain at 37.
THE COMMUNITIES WITH THE MOST ACCIDENTS
By autonomous communities, Andalusia has concentrated the highest number of accidents during the day, with 2,262, followed by Catalonia, with 1,667; Valencian Community, with 1,461; and the Community of Madrid, with 1,127. UATAE has called for strengthening the prevention of occupational risks among self-employed workers, especially in activities with greater exposure to serious and fatal accidents.
