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Work-related fatalities
Safe Work Australia produces several reports that provide information on the circumstances of work-related deaths in Australia:
- The most comprehensive source of information on work-related injury fatalities is compiled in the Work-related traumatic injury fatalities data set. This data set and associated reports are based on information from a number of sources (workers’ compensation data, coronial information, notifiable fatalities and the media), and provide statistics about people who die each year from injuries caused by work-related activity.
- The most up-to-date data we compile is the preliminary media-based Online worker fatality count. As this data is based on initial media reports they are only a preliminary estimate and subject to revision, as work-related status and other key information cannot be confirmed until the death is investigated by the appropriate authority.
- The Monthly notifiable fatality reports provide a summary of work-related traumatic fatalities that were notifiable to Australian work health and safety jurisdictions.
- Detailed statistical tables for fatalities by industry and occupation can be found in our Statistical tables section.
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.
- In the 14 years from 2003 to 2016, 3,414 workers lost their lives in work-related incidents.
- In 2016, there were 182 worker fatalities, equating to a fatality rate of 1.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers—the lowest rate since the series began in 2003 (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Worker fatalities: number of fatalities and fatality rate, 2003 to 2016
- In 2016, half (50%) of worker fatalities occurred within the Transport, postal and warehousing and Agriculture, forestry and fishing industry (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Worker fatalities: proportion by industry of employer, average of last 10 years (2007 to 2016 combined) and 2016
- Over the 10 year period from 2007 to 2016, 64% of worker fatalities involved vehicles, of which just over 45% were due to a vehicle collision on a public road (Table 1).
Table 1: Worker fatalities: number by mechanism of incident, 2003 and 2012 to 2016 (sorted by 2016 fatalities)
| Mechanism of incident | 2003 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | % of 2016 | 10yr average (2007-2016) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle collision | 108 | 91 | 68 | 74 | 60 | 76 | 42% | 38% |
| Falls from a height | 27 | 30 | 26 | 22 | 29 | 25 | 14% | 12% |
| Being hit by moving objects | 40 | 28 | 24 | 22 | 28 | 17 | 9% | 11% |
| Being hit by falling objects | 15 | 27 | 25 | 17 | 21 | 17 | 9% | 10% |
| Being trapped by moving machinery | 6 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 4% | 5% |
| Contact with electricity | 13 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 4% | 4% |
| Drowning | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 4% | 2% |
| Being trapped between stationary and moving objects | 9 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 2% | 4% |
| Being assaulted by a person or persons | 12 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2% | 2% |
| Rollover of non-road vehicle | 9 | 6 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 2% | 4% |
| Contact with hot objects | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2% | 1% |
| Explosion | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1% | 1% |
| Being hit by an animal | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1% | 1% |
| Other mechanisms | 11 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 4% | 5% |
| Total | 259 | 231 | 202 | 197 | 211 | 182 | 100% | 100% |
- Over the last 10 years, the oldest (65 years and over) and youngest (14 and under) age groups accounted for the highest proportion of bystander fatalities, 23% and 16% respectively (Table 2).
Table 2: Bystander fatalities: number and proportions by age group, 2003 and 2012 to 2016
| Age group | 2003 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | % of 2016 | 10yr average (2007-2016) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 & under | 8 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 13% | 16% |
| 15-24 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 8% | 12% |
| 25-34 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 12% | 13% |
| 35-44 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 19% | 12% |
| 45-54 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 10% | 12% |
| 55-64 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 13% | 12% |
| 65 & over | 8 | 22 | 11 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 25% | 23% |
| Total | 57 | 62 | 66 | 72 | 52 | 52 | 100% | 100% |
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 waters.
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 waters 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 2018: Preliminary worker deaths by industry of workplacea
As at 26 July, there have been 76 Australian workers killed at work in 2018.
In 2017, the preliminary data show there were 187 Australian workers killed at work, compared with 182 workers in 2016.
The number of worker deaths listed in this table is based 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 2017 | Preliminary worker deaths year-to-date 2018 |
|---|---|---|
| Transport, postal & warehousing |
40 |
24 |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing |
24 |
22 |
| Construction |
23 |
12 |
| Manufacturing |
2 |
6 |
| Miningb |
1 |
4 |
| Wholesale trade |
0 |
3 |
| Electricity, gas, water & waste services |
3 |
2 |
| Arts & recreation services |
5 |
1 |
| Rental, hiring & real estate services |
1 |
1 |
| Administrative & support services |
0 |
1 |
| Accommodation & food services |
2 |
0 |
| Education & training |
0 |
0 |
| Financial & insurance services |
0 |
0 |
| Health care & social assistance |
1 |
0 |
| Information media & telecommunications |
0 |
0 |
| Other services |
0 |
0 |
| Professional, scientific & technical services |
0 |
0 |
| Public administration & safety |
3 |
0 |
| Retail trade |
3 |
0 |
| Total worker deathsc |
108 |
76 |
- a Ranked in descending order, and then on alphabetical order for industries with no fatalities.
- b Mining fatalities include fatalities that occur in the coal mining, oil and gas extraction, metal ore mining, gravel and sand quarrying, and services to mining sectors.
- c Includes notifiable fatalities that occurred overseas.
Monthly notifiable fatalities
The monthly notifiable fatality report provides a national summary of work-related traumatic fatalities that were notifiable to Australian WHS jurisdictions.
Besides providing an estimate of the number of work-related deaths, the report includes details of the types of incident involved, the industry of the workplace where the fatalities occurred, and the industry of the decedent’s employer.
As well as the most recent report, the December 2016 report has been retained since it includes previous monthly counts. Comparisons between yearly monthly counts, however, should be made with caution.