Fatality statistics

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.