29/08/2008
The under-reporting of occupational accidents and occupational diseases is estimated to cost the French health insurance system between 565 million and 1.015 billion euros, concludes an expert report submitted to the government in July.

For cancers, "at least" one patient in two is allegedly not recognised within the framework of occupational accidents and occupational diseases. Asthma and musculoskeletal disorders are also insufficiently reported. The report estimates that 38,000 occupational accidents with work absence are not declared.
 
The report singles out four main causes of under-reporting: victims' reluctance to report their illness, the absence of awareness-raising by general practitioners concerning the connections between work and health, the difficulty re-updating tables of occupational illnesses in terms of scientific knowledge, and the attitude of employers who do not report certain accidents or put pressure on employees not to report the accident or illness.

• For details, see the article in Les Echos (in French)