New Australian OHS statistics

Safe Work Australia released two OHS statistical reports in June 2009 – Mesothelioma in Australia, Incidence 1982 to 2005, Deaths 1997 to 2006 and Notified Fatalities Statistical Report, July 2008 to December 2008.

Both reports are recommended for those statistic junkies out there as the analysis and trends are sadly illustrative, however some of the highlights, if they can be called that, are:

• In 2005, the age-standardised rate of new cases of mesothelioma was 2.8 per 100 000 population.
• In 2006, the age-standardised rate of death due to mesothelioma was 2.3 deaths per 100 000 population.

The death rate has remained stable.

More detailed information is available in the fatalities report however below are some main findings

There were 88 notified work-related fatalities.

The majority of fatalities were male.

Workers aged 55 years and over accounted for one-fifth (20%) of worker fatalities.

Four industries accounted for over three-quarters of all notified work-related fatalities, in descending order:

• Agriculture, forestry and fishing,
• Construction;
• Transport and storage;
• Manufacturing

The most common causes of work-related fatalities were, in descending order:

• Vehicle accident;
• Being hit by moving objects;
• Being hit by falling objects;
• Drowning/immersion; and
• Falls from a height.