Work-related injury fatalities
Safe Work Australia compiles national statistics on work-related injury fatalities. These statistics are based on workers’ compensation data, fatality notifications from jurisdictions, the National Coronial Information System and the media. Work-related fatalities resulting from diseases, natural causes, suicides and the deaths of people undertaking criminal activity are excluded.
Trends in work-related injury fatalities, 2003 to 2016
Gender comparison, 2016
Age group, 2016
Age group (years) | Number of fatalities | Fatality rate (fatalities per 100,000 workers) |
---|---|---|
less than 25 | 14 | 0.8 |
25-34 | 33 | 1.2 |
35-44 | 24 | 0.9 |
45-54 | 41 | 1.6 |
55-64 | 46 | 2.6 |
65 and over | 24 | 5.3 |
Total | 182 | 1.5 |
State/territory of fatality, 2016
Mechanism of fatal injury, 2016
Occupation, 2016
Occupations | Number of fatalities | Fatality rate (fatalities per 100,000 workers) |
---|---|---|
Machinery Operators and Drivers | 62 | 8.2 |
Labourers | 40 | 3.4 |
Technicians and Trades Workers | 26 | 1.5 |
Managers | 24 | 1.6 |
Professionals | 14 | 0.5 |
Community and Personal Service Workers | 3 | 0.2 |
Sales Workers | 3 | 0.3 |
Clerical and Administrative Workers | 1 | 0.1 |
Total | 182 | 1.5 |
The total includes unknown occupations. This means the sum of fatalities may not equal the total.
Industry, 2016
Industry of employer | Number of fatalities | Fatality rate (fatalities per 100,000 workers) |
---|---|---|
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 44 | 14.0 |
Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 47 | 7.5 |
Mining | 6 | 2.7 |
Construction | 35 | 3.3 |
Arts and Recreation Services | 5 | 2.2 |
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 8 | 5.8 |
Administrative and Support Services | 8 | 1.8 |
Manufacturing | 6 | 0.7 |
Other Services | 4 | 0.8 |
Public Administration and Safety | 5 | 0.7 |
Wholesale Trade | 0 | 0.0 |
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services | 2 | 0.9 |
Accommodation and Food Services | 0 | 0.0 |
Retail Trade | 4 | 0.3 |
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 1 | 0.1 |
Education and Training | 2 | 0.2 |
Health Care and Social Assistance | 4 | 0.3 |
Information Media and Telecommunications | 1 | 0.5 |
Financial and Insurance Services | 0 | 0.0 |
Total | 182 | 1.5 |
Work-related injury and disease
Safe Work Australia compiles national workers’ compensation statistics using data from the workers’ compensation authorities.
In this section ‘serious claims’ relate to where the injury or disease resulted in one week or more off work. The data for 2015-16 is preliminary (denoted by a ‘p’) and the before is subject to revision in subsequent years as further claims are finalised.
Trends in the rates of serious claims, 2000–01 to 2015–16p
Overall statistics, 2015–16p
Gender comparison
Age group
Age group (years) | Number of serious claims | Frequency rate (serious claims per million hours worked) |
Incidence rate (serious claims per 1.000 employees) |
---|---|---|---|
Less than 20 years | 3,580 | 5.9 | 5.3 |
20-24 years | 9,695 | 5.3 | 7.9 |
25-29 years | 10,475 | 4.4 | 7.7 |
30-34 years | 10,370 | 4.4 | 7.7 |
35-39 years | 10,225 | 4.9 | 8.6 |
40-44 years | 12,160 | 5.6 | 9.9 |
45-49 years | 13,120 | 6.2 | 11.0 |
50-54 years | 13,630 | 6.9 | 12.1 |
55-59 years | 11,675 | 7.3 | 12.5 |
60-64 years | 7,270 | 7.6 | 12.0 |
65 years and over | 2,550 | 5.8 | 7.6 |
Total | 104,770 | 5.6 | 9.3 |
Mechanism of incident
Nature of injury or disease
Bodily location of injury or disease
Occupation
Occupations | Number of serious claims | Frequency rate (serious claims per million hours worked) |
Incidence rate (serious claims per 1.000 employees) |
---|---|---|---|
Clerical and administrative workers | 4,900 | 1.9 | 3.0 |
Community and personal service workers | 17,145 | 10.7 | 13.7 |
Labourers | 26,410 | 17.7 | 25.3 |
Machinery operators and drivers | 14,895 | 11.1 | 21.4 |
Managers | 4,555 | 1.6 | 3.4 |
Professionals | 9,605 | 2.1 | 3.6 |
Sales workers | 5,885 | 4.1 | 5.2 |
Technicians and trades workers | 19,110 | 6.8 | 13.2 |
Total | 104,770 | 5.6 | 9.3 |
Industry
Industry of employer | Number of claims | Frequency rate (serious claims per million hours worked) |
Incidence rate (serious claims per 1.000 employees) |
---|---|---|---|
Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 3,510 | 8.9 | 17.5 |
Manufacturing | 12,740 | 8.4 | 15.5 |
Construction | 12,670 | 8.0 | 16.0 |
Transport, postal and warehousing | 8,200 | 7.7 | 14.4 |
Health care and social assistance | 16,175 | 7.4 | 10.7 |
Arts and recreation services | 2,110 | 7.1 | 9.7 |
Wholesale trade | 4,415 | 6.6 | 12.3 |
Public administration and safety | 7,670 | 6.1 | 10.2 |
Accommodation and food services | 6,185 | 5.9 | 7.4 |
Administrative and support services | 4,245 | 5.8 | 9.2 |
Community and personal service workers | 17,145 | 10.7 | 13.7 |
Retail trade | 9,185 | 5.3 | 7.3 |
Education and training | 6,335 | 4.3 | 6.5 |
Managers | 4,555 | 1.6 | 3.4 |
Other services | 2,790 | 4.3 | 7.4 |
Electricity, gas, water and waste services | 1,140 | 4.2 | 8.2 |
Mining | 2,080 | 4.1 | 9.2 |
Rental, hiring and real estate services | 970 | 2.6 | 4.8 |
Information media and telecommunications | 515 | 1.4 | 2.5 |
Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,645 | 1.0 | 1.8 |
Financial and insurance services | 620 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
Total | 104,770 | 5.6 | 9.3 |
Costs of work-related injuries and diseases
Work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths impose both direct costs and indirect costs on employers,workers and the community. The costs are estimated using a methodology developed by the former National Occupational Health and Safety Commission.
Costs of work-related injuries and diseases, 2008–09 and 2012–13
2008-09 | 2012-13 | |
---|---|---|
Total estimated cost (billion) | $60.6 | $61.8 |
Estimated cost as a percentage of GDP | 4.8% | 4.1% |
Percentage of cost borne by employers | 5% | 5% |
Percentage of cost borne by workers | 74% | 77% |
Percentage of cost borne by community | 21% | 18% |
Cost of work-related injuries and diseases by severity, 2012–13
For more Safe Work Australia national statistics
Type of data | Publication |
---|---|
Serious workers’ compensation claims | Australian Workers’ Compensation Statistics Comparative Performance Monitoring Report |
Work-related injury fatalities | Traumatic Injury Fatalities Report |
Costs of work-related injuries and diseases | Cost of work-related injury and illness for Australian employers, workers and the community 2012-13 |
Enquiries | statsonline@swa.gov.au |
ISBN 978-1-76051-170-8 (PDF)
Safe Work Australia provides the information in this publication to raise awareness of work health and safety. For more information, visit www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/disclaimer
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Enquiries regarding the licence and any use of the report are welcome at info@swa.gov.au
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