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This page provides statistics on worker fatalities by occupation.
- Work-related fatalities data is reported on an annual basis and is sourced from our work-related traumatic injury fatalities database.
Information about the deceased’s occupation is coded using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, 2013, Version 1.2.
Number of fatalities and fatality rate by occupation
More detailed statistics to those provided below can be found in the Number and incidence rate of work-related traumatic injury fatalities by occupation - 2014-2018 statistical table.
In 2018:
- 35% (51) of workers killed were employed as machinery operators and drivers
- 25% (36) of workers killed were labourers
- 19% (27) of workers killed were technicians and trades workers
- 11% (16) of workers killed were managers.
Table 1: Worker fatalities: number of fatalities and fatality rates by occupation, 2018
| Occupation | Number of fatalities, 2018 | 2018 fatality rate (fatalities per 1000 000 workers) |
|---|---|---|
| Machinery operators and drivers | 86 | 77 |
| Labourers | 65 | 61 |
| Technicians and trades workers | 11 | 8 |
| Managers | 7 | 5 |
| Professionals | 61 | 48 |
| Community and personal service workers | 22 | 16 |
| Clerical and administrative workers | 24 | 14 |
| Sales workers | 31 | 28 |
| Total* | 259 | 231 |
*Totals include occupations which are unknown, therefore the sum of figures for each column may not equal the total.