Type of injuries or diseases
In 2017–18, 89% of serious claims were for injury and musculoskeletal disorders (Safe Work Australia 2020). The remaining serious claims were for diseases, including mental health conditions (7.5% of total serious claims), digestive system diseases (1.9%) and nervous systems and sense organ diseases (1.0%).
Overall, 41% of claims were for traumatic joint/ligament and muscle/tendon injury, followed by wounds, lacerations, amputations and internal organ damage (16%) and musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases (14%). Fractures accounted for 11% of serious claims, and mental health conditions 7.5%.
In 2017–18, labourers (25,055 serious claims) and community and personal service workers (16,560 serious claims) accounted for the highest number of injuries and musculoskeletal disorders (Figure 3). Community and personal service workers (2,335) and professionals (2,245 serious claims) accounted for the highest number of disease-related serious claims.
See Health expenditure.
Work-related injuries, diseases and deaths are costly to employers, workers and their communities.
In 2017–18, $1.8 billion was spent through workers’ compensation agencies for work-related injuries and diseases (AIHW 2019). This was an increase of 3.7% since 2016–17, which was higher than the average annual growth rate over the decade of 1.3%.
In 2016–17, a median time of 5.3 weeks of work was lost for serious claims in the injury and musculoskeletal disorder group, and 10.2 weeks for diseases (Safe Work Australia 2020). Adjusting for changes in the price of labour (base year 2000–01), the median compensation paid in 2016–17 was $7,100.
Of all types of injuries and diseases, mental health conditions resulted in the highest median time off work (17.3 weeks) and the highest median compensation paid ($30,800). Injuries to the nerves and spinal cord had the next highest median time off work (10.8 weeks), and were the next most costly at $21,100, after ‘other diseases’ ($22,000).
For more information on workers’ compensation, see:
References
ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Work-Related Injuries, Australia, Jul 2017 to Jun 2018. ABS cat. no. 6324.0. Canberra: ABS.
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) 2019. Health expenditure Australia 2017–18. Cat. no. HWE 077. Canberra: AIHW.
Safe Work Australia 2018. Comparison of workers’ compensation arrangements in Australia and New Zealand. Canberra: Safe Work Australia.
Safe Work Australia 2020. Australian Workers’ Compensation Statistics 2017–2018. Canberra: Safe Work Australia.