Australian Worker Killed Every 2 Days - Tips for Staying Safe

The latest figures from Safe Work Australia reveal 190 people were killed at work in 2017. And despite the fatality rate trending downward since 2007 (310 deaths), 2017’s figure is higher than 2016 – which saw 187 workplace fatalities.

The vast majority of fatalities continue to occur in three industries – Transport, postal and warehousing (54 fatalities), followed closely by Agriculture, forestry and fishing (52 fatalities), and Construction (30 fatalities).

Speaking on Channel 7’s Weekend Sunrise, Finder Insights Manager, Graham Cooke, said the latest fatality and injury statistics were “startling.”

“The figures are quite startling if you look at them on the whole – we see somebody injured in Australia roughly every five minutes, and somebody facing a fatality once every two days.”

Fifteen percent of deaths involved falling from a height, and 18 percent of workers killed were hit by a moving object. Alarmingly, 63percent of fatalities were related to vehicles, with 32 percent involving a vehicle collision.

Cooke said transport was an industry that should expect to see an increase in safety incidents, with more people than ever “ordering packages and parcels online, and ordering takeaway food to the home.”

“If you’re in jobs that use those types of devices, it’s a good idea to keep your wits about you and also make sure you have income protection insurance or life insurance.”

Safety Institute of Australia Deputy Chair, Naomi Kemp, said workers needed to remain vigilant in high-risk industries where workplace conditions were constantly changing.

“We all expect to come home from work safe at the end of the day, but I think it’s important that we’re not complacent and we don’t take for granted that our workplaces are safe, because we all know things can change.”

“It’s a mindset. We really need to be considering the risks we’re about to face when we go to work.”

Kemp said there were five practical tips for workers to consider when keep themselves safe at work. Watch the video below to learn more.

Staying safe at work

• Take care of your health and wellbeing
• Be prepared for risks you may face
• Have the courage to stop if you feel unsafe
• Watch out for your colleagues and others
• Be part of the solution

An Australian dies at work every second day! Experts say our workplaces are not as safe as you might think. pic.twitter.com/8cZ5LB7VoW

— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) 16 February 2019

View Safe Work Australia’s latest figures on workplace fatalities.