Support Team Notice – We will have limited phone support from 27 Mar – 31 Mar. Please email all enquiries to info@safetyculture.com.au

New work-related injuries report published

Apr 11th 2023 |

New work-related injuries report published

```html

New Work-Related Injuries Report Published

Safe Work Australia has released a new work-related injuries report covering occupational injuries and illness across Australian workplaces. Safe Work Australia states the report compares survey data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics with SWA's National dataset for compensation-based statistics, alongside findings from its Safer, healthier, wealthier research.

Key Findings from the Report

The report reveals that 497,300 working people (3.5%) sustained an injury at work or developed a work-related illness in 2021-22. That figure marks a decrease of 0.7 compared to 2017-18 figures.

In 2020-21, businesses recorded 1.9 million weeks lost due to work-related injuries or illnesses across the country. Such losses carry significant implications for management teams responsible for workplace safety planning and resource allocation.

The report also shows more workers received workers' compensation in 2020-21 compared to 2017-18, suggesting shifts in how claims are processed and how support services reach affected employees.

Why This Report Matters for Safety Professionals

For safety managers across construction, manufacturing and healthcare sectors, this report offers a benchmark for measuring safety performance against national trends. Understanding these figures helps management teams refine safety protocols and improve compensation outcomes for injured staff.

Comparable data from New Zealand safety agencies can also provide useful context for organisations operating across both jurisdictions, particularly those managing multi-region safety programs.

  • 497,300 workers sustained injury or illness in 2021-22
  • 0.7% decrease in injury rate since 2017-18
  • 1.9 million weeks lost to work-related injuries or illnesses in 2020-21
  • Increased compensation claims recorded between 2017-18 and 2020-21

Safety leaders reviewing this data should consider how their own reporting systems align with national benchmarks. SafetyDocs offers a range of injury report forms and management tools that support accurate record-keeping and compliance with reporting obligations.

Supporting Safety Management Across Industries

Robust safety management remains critical for reducing workplace injuries and improving long-term outcomes for workers. Organisations that regularly review injury data and update their safety management systems tend to see stronger compliance and fewer incidents.

Businesses seeking to strengthen internal safety management should also review related developments, including new regulations addressing work-related psychological injuries in South Australia, which highlight a broader shift toward comprehensive health and safety management.

For organisations wanting ongoing visibility into national trends, Safe Work Australia periodically publishes updates; see our coverage of Safe Work Australia's new yearly report for further context on how these statistics evolve year over year.

SafetyDocs provides consulting services and documentation support to help management teams interpret this data and strengthen their safety management frameworks. Our services span policy development, compliance documentation, and safety management system reviews tailored to industry-specific risks.

The new report is accessible here.

```

Share This Article