A new report from Safe Work Australia has revealed concerning statistics regarding workplace fatalities in Australia, with 188 workers losing their lives on the job in 2024. This marks a slight improvement from the 200 fatalities recorded in 2023, suggesting some progress in workplace safety measures.
The report, titled Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia, indicates that machinery operators and drivers accounted for a significant portion of these deaths, with a total of 61 fatalities. This group faced a fatality rate of 6.7 deaths per 100,000 workers, which is more than five times the national average.
Industry Breakdown of Fatalities
The statistics reveal that labourers also faced considerable risks, with 50 deaths reported in this category, alongside 28 fatalities among technicians and trade workers. Alarmingly, 96 percent of the deceased workers were male. The leading cause of work-related deaths was vehicle incidents, contributing to 79 fatalities, followed by falls from height, which accounted for 24 deaths.
In terms of specific industries, the report highlights that the transport, postal, and warehousing sector recorded 54 fatalities, while agriculture, forestry, and fishing saw 44 deaths. Construction reported 37 fatalities. The industries with the highest fatality rates were agriculture, forestry, and fishing, with 13.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers, followed by transport, postal, and warehousing at 7.4, and mining at 3.4. In the mining sector, which contributes over 12 percent to Australia’s GDP, 10 workers died in workplace incidents.
Call for Enhanced Safety Measures
Despite the decrease in fatalities, Marie Boland, Chief Executive of Safe Work Australia, emphasized that there is still significant work to be done. “All workers have the right to safe and healthy work,” she stated. The current data underscores the necessity for improved safety protocols to ensure that every worker returns home safely.
Commenting on the figures, Liam O’Brien, Assistant Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, expressed that even one death is “one too many.” He acknowledged the 24 percent reduction in the fatality rate since 2014 but stressed the emotional toll on families. “One death at work is one too many and our job is far from done,” he stated.
The report also highlighted the challenges workers face regarding compensation for injuries sustained on the job. It revealed that three in ten injured workers received workers’ compensation, indicating a significant gap between reported injuries and compensation claims. O’Brien noted that many injuries go unreported because they are perceived as minor or due to uncertainty around eligibility. “Unions are alarmed that seven in ten injured workers don’t receive workers’ compensation,” he added.
This report, released during National Safe Work Month, serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing need to prioritize workplace safety across all industries in Australia.
