Key WHS statistics Australia

Safe Work Australia compiles the National Dataset for compensation-based statistics which comprises information on workers’ compensation claims provided by each of the jurisdictional workers’ compensation authorities.

Although 563,600 people experienced a work-related injury or illness in 2017-18, the data in the Safe Work Australia report refers only to the 107,335 serious claims where the compensated injury or disease resulted in one week or more off work.

Why does it take so long to finalise the data?  Figures are updated only once all the appropriate authorities have investigated the deaths and more accurate information becomes available. Only then does Safe Work Australia include the incident in their statistics and publish their final report.

Key Findings

• 144 fatalities nationally
• 75% of workplace fatalities came from Transport, Postal & Warehousing / Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing / Construction & Mining in 2017-18.
• 107,335 serious claims resulting in one week or more off work
• $11,300 median compensation paid per claim

Fatalities By State 2017-18

Number of fatalities, by gender 2017-18.

Number of fatalities, by industry 2017-18.

Number of fatalities, by occupation 2017-18.

Serious claims overall statistics, 2017–18

Serious claims by nature of injury disease, 2017–18

Serious claims by occupation, 2017–18

Serious claims by industry, 2017–18

Sources: Safe Work Australia https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/

© Commonwealth of Austr​alia.
Australian Bureau of statistics http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6324.0