Report: 53% work-related fatalities decrease between 2007 and 2019

The recently released Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities Australia 2019 report has revealed that over the last decade, the number and rate of work-related fatalities have been decreasing. In 2007, the fatality rate was 3.0 fatalities per 100,000 workers. In 2019, this rate has decreased by 53% to 1.4 fatalities per 100,000 workers. The number of work-related fatalities recorded in 2018 represented an unusual decrease compared to the longer-term trends in fatality numbers.

The report provides the latest detailed national statistics on all workers and bystanders fatally injured at work. The report and data is drawn from a range of sources, including reporting of fatalities in the media, notifications from jurisdictional authorities and the National Coronial Information System.

While the number of work-related fatalities has been decreasing over the last decade, it is important to understand the causes of injury, and the industries most affected, to further reduce work-related fatalities.

In 2019, 62% of worker fatalities occurred in the transport, postal and warehousing industry (58 fatalities), the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry (30 fatalities) and the construction industry (26 fatalities).

The most common causes of worker fatalities in 2019 were vehicle collisions (43%), falls from a height (11%) and being hit by falling objects (11%).

The report complements and provides additional detail to the Key Work Health and Safety Statistics published on 12 October 2020.

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