Injury rate

The accumulated injury rate for our Scandinavian operations for the last four quarters was 5.7, as against 4.9 in the preceding quarter. There has been an increase in Sweden and Norway, and a decrease in Denmark. The accumulated injury rate for the same period last year was 4.5.

12 lost-time injuries were reported in the Norwegian operations in the fourth quarter of 2009. The accumulated injury rate for the last four quarters was 5.2, as against 4.1 the preceding quarter, and 2.9 for the same quarter last year. The injury rate for this quarter was 6.2 compared with 2.0 for the same quarter last year.

In our Swedish operations, five lost-time injuries were reported in the fourth quarter. The accumulated injury rate for the last four quarters was 7.6, compared with 6.9 the preceding quarter, and 7.8 for the same quarter last year. The injury rate for this quarter was 11.3, as against 8.2 for the same quarter last year.

Our Danish operations reported two lost-time injuries in the fourth quarter. The accumulated injury rate for Hoffmann for the last four quarters was 6.6, compared with 7.6 the preceding quarter, and 9.2 for the same quarter last year. The injury rate for this quarter was 10.9, as against 17.2 for the same quarter last year.

Sickness absence

In Norway, the accumulated sickness absence among our skilled workers for the last four quarters was 7.4 per cent, as against 7.2 per cent the preceding quarter, and 6.8 per cent in the same quarter last year. The accumulated sickness absence for the last four quarters among all employees in Norway was 5.7 per cent, compared with 5.8 per cent the preceding quarter, and 5.3 per cent in the same quarter last year.

In Sweden, the accumulated sickness absence among our skilled workers for the last four quarters was
4.5 per cent, as against 4.3 per cent the preceding quarter, and 3.9 per cent in the same quarter last year. For all employees in Sweden, the accumulated sickness absence for the last four quarters was 3.1 per cent, as against 3.0 per cent in the same quarter last year.

In our Danish operations, the accumulated sickness absence among our skilled workers for the last four quarters was 3.2 per cent, the same as in the preceding quarter, as against 3.1 per cent in the same quarter last year. For all employees, sickness absence for the last four quarters was 2.4 per cent, as against 2.2 per cent in the same quarter last year.