Economy of Regions | 2026
Authors: Malysheva E.V.; Litvintseva G.P.
DOI: 10.17059/ekon.reg.2026-2-2
Journal: Economy of Regions
Year: 2026
Publisher: Institute of Economics, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access
Cited by: 0
In both developed and developing countries, occupational injury and workplace safety remain significant issues for economic activity. The purpose of the study is to determine the differentiation of regions by the level of occupational injuries and labour efficiency, the relationship between injuries and labour productivity based on regional data of the Russian Federation in 2010–2023. The objectives set to achieve the goal are: a) to characterize the dynamics of industrial injuries in the Russian Federation in the years under review; b) to identify regional inequality in labour productivity and industrial injuries; c) to substantiate the relationship between the latter and regional labour productivity in Russia. The research methods include descriptive statistics and ranking, the cluster approach (k-means clustering), and econometric modelling: pooled OLS regression, the fixed effects model, the random effects model, and their modifications. Despite the overall trend toward a decline in the occupational injury rate (from 2.2 to 1.02 accidents per 1,000 workers) and an increase in labour productivity (by 1.36 times), the number of regions with injury rates above the Russian average remains constant (49–50). Four groups of regions were identified that differed in the rates of change in labour productivity and occupational injury rates from 2010 to 2023. They include regions of all types of specialization. The hypothesis of a negative relationship between the rate of occupational injuries and labour productivity was confirmed. An increase in the injury rate by 1 case per 1000 workers is accompanied by a decrease in labour productivity in the following year by an average of 6.3 %. The hypothesis of significant interregional variation in the strength of this relationship was not supported; the effect is homogeneous across regions. The analysis also indicates a weak countervailing effect of labour productivity on injuries. The findings can be used to adjust socioeconomic policies in the area of occupational safety. Research on occupational injuries across industries and comparative cross-country analysis appear promising. © Малышева Е. В., Литвинцева Г. П. Текст. 2026.
accidents; gross regional product; labour productivity; labour protection; occupational injuries; regions of Russia