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Safe Work Australia compiles the Work-Related Traumatic Injury Fatalities data collection, a comprehensive data set that includes detailed information on all work-related traumatic injury fatalities in Australia.
- The most up-to-date data is the preliminary media-based online worker fatality count. This data is a preliminary estimate and is subject to revision as further information becomes available from investigating authorities.
- Aggregated data from the Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities data set is published in the Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatality Time Series.
- The Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities Australia report is published annually.
Work-related traumatic injury fatalities
The work-related traumatic injury fatalities data provides statistics about people who die each year from injuries caused by work-related activity. It includes fatalities that result from an injury sustained in the course of a work activity (worker fatality) and as a result of someone else’s work activity (bystander fatality). Data inclusions and exclusions are outlined below.
Data collected includes
The scope of this collection includes everyone:
- who was fatally injured
- whose injuries resulted from work activity or exposures
- whose injuries occurred in an incident that took place in Australian territories or territorial seas.
The report includes everyone killed:
- while working including unpaid volunteers and family workers, carrying out work experience, and defence force personnel killed within Australian territories or territorial sea or travelling for work (worker fatalities)
- as a result of someone else’s work activity (bystander fatalities).
Data collected excludes
The collection specifically excludes those who died:
- of iatrogenic injuries—the worker died due to medical intervention
- due to natural causes such as heart attacks and strokes, except where a work-related injury was the direct cause of the heart attack or stroke
- as a result of diseases, such as cancers
- by self-inflicted injuries (suicide).
People who died of injuries caused by someone else’s work activity while they are classified as a worker rather than a bystander.
Year-to-date 2020: Preliminary worker deaths by industry of workplace
As at 26 March, there have been 43 Australian workers killed at work in 2020.
In 2019, 162 Australian workers were fatally injured while working, compared with 144 workers in 2018.
The 2020 and 2019 figures listed in the table below are based mainly on initial media reports and is a preliminary estimate of the number of people killed while working. Once the appropriate authority has investigated the death, more accurate information becomes available from which Safe Work Australia updates details of the incident. Updated information is used to publish Safe Work Australia’s annual Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities report which includes finalised work-related fatalities from 2003 onwards.
| Industry of workplace | Preliminary worker deaths year-to-date, 26 March 2019 | Preliminary worker deaths year-to-date, 26 March 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Transport, postal & warehousing |
18 |
17 |
| Construction |
5 |
9 |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing |
12 |
6 |
| Public administration & safety |
1 |
5 |
|
Mining |
2 |
3 |
|
Manufacturing |
1 |
2 |
|
Arts & recreation services |
0 |
1 |
| Electricity, gas, water & waste services |
3 |
0 |
| Accommodation & food services |
0 |
0 |
| Administrative & support services |
0 |
0 |
| Education & training |
0 |
0 |
| Financial & insurance services |
0 |
0 |
| Health care & social assistance |
0 |
0 |
| Information media & telecommunications |
0 |
0 |
| Other services |
0 |
0 |
| Professional, scientific & technical services |
0 |
0 |
| Retail trade |
0 |
0 |
| Rental, hiring & real estate services |
0 |
0 |
| Wholesale trade |
0 |
0 |
| Total worker deaths |
42 |
43 |
- The table is ranked in descending order according to 2020 figures, and then in alphabetical order for industries with no fatalities.
- The 2020 and 2019 figures are still preliminary and numbers will be updated when more information about these fatalities becomes available.