Injury rate

At the end of the third quarter, the injury rate for our Scandinavian operations was 4.9, as against 5.7 at the end of the third quarter of 2008. This shows an increase from the two preceding quarters, for which the Scandinavian injury rate was 4.3 and 4.5, respectively.

Our Norwegian operations reported 11 lost-time injuries in the third quarter of 2009. This gave an injury rate of 5.0 for the quarter, compared with 3.2 for the same quarter last year. The injury rate for the last four quarters was 4.1, as against 3.2 last year.

In our Swedish operations, five lost-time injuries were reported in the third quarter. This gave an injury rate of 13.2, as against 4.4 for the same quarter last year. The injury rate for the last four quarters was 6.9, compared with 10.9 last year.

Our Danish operations reported one lost-time injury in the third quarter. This gave an injury rate of 4.8, as against 6.9 for the same quarter last year. For the last four quarters, Denmark has had an injury rate of 7.6, compared with 14.7 for the third quarter of 2008.

Sickness absence

Sickness absence among our skilled workers in Norway was
7.2 per cent for the last four quarters, as against 6.8 per cent for the same period last year. Sickness absence for the last four quarters for all employees in Norway was 5.8 per cent, compared with 5.5 per cent the previous year.

In Sweden, sickness absence among our skilled workers was 4.3 per cent for the last four quarters, as against 3.9 per cent for the same period last year. For all employees, sickness absence for the last four quarters was 3.0 per cent, the same as the year before.

In Denmark, sickness absence among skilled workers for the last four quarters was 3.2 per cent, as against 3.5 per cent the year before. For all employees, sickness absence for the last four quarters was 2.2 per cent, as against 2.5 per cent the previous year.