Construction Workers in focus

Modified on Tue, 21 Jan, 2020 at 3:32 PM

Construction employs approximately 1,180,700 persons in Australia (ABS trend data), which accounts for 9.1 per cent of the total workforce. Over the past five years, employment in the industry has increased by 14.1 per cent. The median age for workers in this industry is 37 years and median weekly earnings are around $1,280 per week.

According to Safe Work Australia, the main causes of work-related injuries experienced by workers in the construction industry are:

body stressing (37%)
falls, trips and slips (28%)
hit by moving objects (14%).

Body stressing is the most common mechanism of injury accounting for 37% of serious claims in the construction industry. Almost half (47%) of the serious claims for body stressing were the result of muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects. Falls, trips and slips of a person was the second most common mechanism of injury representing 28% of serious claims, most caused by falls on the same level.

Learn more about how insurance solutions can be designed for organisations and their employees here or view the Safe Work Australia Construction Industry Profile here.

Employment Characteristics Data
Employment Characteristics	Data
Employment Level - August 2019 ('000)	1,180.7
Employment Growth - Five years to August 2019 ('000)	145.7
Employment Growth - Five Years to August 2019 (%)	14.1
Male Share of Employment - Year to August 2019 (%)	88.1
Female Share of Employment - Year to August 2019 (%)	11.9
Full Time Share of Employment - Year to August 2019 (%)	84.6
Average Full Time Hours - August 2019	41
Median Weekly Earnings in Main Job - August 2018 ($)	1280
Projected Employment Growth - Five Years to May 2023 ('000)	118.8
Projected Employment Growth - Five Years to May 2023 (%)	10.0

Sources: ABS, Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, cat. no. 6291.0.55.003, trend. Average full time hours data is Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business trend; Earnings data are ABS, Characteristics of Employment Cat. No. 6333.0, August 2018; Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, 2018 employment projections, five years to May 2023. Safe Work Australia’s National Data Set for Compensation-based Statistics, 2014-15.

Top 10 Occupations Data
Top 10 Occupations	Number Employed (four quarter average, 2018)
Carpenters and Joiners Opens a new window	117,800
ElectriciansOpens a new window	95,600
Construction ManagersOpens a new window	80,600
PlumbersOpens a new window	79,200
Building and Plumbing LabourersOpens a new window	53,600
Painting Trades WorkersOpens a new window	52,000
Architectural, Building and Surveying TechniciansOpens a new window	43,800
ConcretersOpens a new window	38,600
PlasterersOpens a new window	35,500
Earthmoving Plant OperatorsOpens a new window	34,500

Source: Four quarter average and custom data based on ABS Labour Force, Australia, Cat no: 6291.0.55.003.

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