Let’s talk about statistics to get a clearer picture about just how important workplace safety is and how much it directly affects Australians every day.
Safe Work Australia has recently released the following summary of the National Safety Statistics.
- In 2015, 96% of workplace fatalities were male.
- Being involved in a vehicle incident continues to be the most common cause of workplace fatalities.
- In 2015, 34% of workers who died were machinery operators and drivers.
- In 2013-14 there were 106,565 serious workers’ compensation claims in Australia.
- Each work related injury costs approximately $116,600.
- The transport, postal and warehousing industry had the highest rate of serious claims in 2013-14.
- The occupation group with the highest rate of serious claims in 2013-14 was labourers.
So, that’s the big picture, now let’s break down some of the national statistics into specific industry sections …….
Agriculture
40 fatalities in 2015
2565 serious claims in 2013-14
27% of serious claims were due to being hit by moving objects
Road transport
34 fatalities in 2015
4435 serious claims in 2013-14
40% of serious claims were due to body stressing
Construction
33 fatalities in 2015
11,535 serious claims in 2013-14
37% of serious claims were due to body stressing
Manufacturing
13 fatalities in 2015
12,935 serious claims in 2013-14
43% of serious claims were due to body stressing
Public administration and safety
6 fatalities in 2015
8780 serious claims in 2013-14
38% of serious claims were due to body stressing
Accommodation and food services
3 fatalities in 2015
6155 serious claims in 2013-14
32% of serious claims were due to body stressing
Health care and social assistance
2 fatalities in 2015
17,415 serious claims in 2013-14
50% of serious claims were due to body stressing
For more statistics and guidance on workplace injury prevention, go to www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
Source: National Data Set for Compensation-Based Statistics, and Traumatic Injury Fatalities database; Safe Work Australia
