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Introduction
Workplace safety has improved slightly across Australia, but new national data shows fatalities and serious injuries remain heavily concentrated in a handful of industries. The latest Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia report from Safe Work Australia reveals 188 workers were killed on the job in 2024, with just six sectors accounting for 80 per cent of all workplace deaths.
The Deadliest Industries
According to the report, the most dangerous sectors for Australian workers remain largely unchanged from previous years. The six industries responsible for four out of five workplace fatalities were:
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
- Public Administration and Safety
- Transport, Postal and Warehousing
- Manufacturing
- Health Care and Social Assistance
- Construction
While the total number of fatalities dropped from 200 in 2023 to 188 in 2024, the report stresses that safety risks in these high-hazard sectors continue to demand national attention.
Leading Causes of Death
Vehicle incidents remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities, responsible for 42 per cent (79 deaths) last year. Other major causes included:
- Falls from height: 24 deaths (13 per cent)
- Being hit by moving objects: a significant share of remaining fatalities
Although these figures represent gradual improvement, Safe Work Australia cautioned that every fatality still reflects preventable risks in the workplace.
Serious Injury and Compensation Claims
The report also highlights the ongoing burden of non-fatal injuries and illnesses. In 2023–24, there were 146,700 serious workers’ compensation claims that resulted in at least one week of lost time — equivalent to more than 400 serious injuries every day across Australia.
Mental health conditions accounted for 12 per cent of all serious claims, up 14.7 per cent from the previous year. These claims now represent one of the fastest-growing categories of workplace injury, with median recovery times nearly five times longer than for physical injuries.
Global Context
Australia continues to perform better than most countries on occupational safety benchmarks. The national injury rate of 3.5 per cent is significantly lower than the global average of 12.1 per cent.
However, Safe Work Australia’s chief executive Marie Boland said the human toll behind the numbers remains unacceptable:
“Our data show there is still more to be done to ensure every worker, regardless of occupation or industry, returns home safely at the end of the day. Behind every statistic is a person, a family, workmates, a community and a story.”
Conclusion
Despite a downward trend in fatalities, the Safe Work Australia report underscores persistent safety challenges across critical sectors — particularly in transport, agriculture, and construction. With mental health claims on the rise and hundreds of workers still seriously injured each day, the message is clear: Australia’s progress in workplace safety must not lead to complacency.