Work-Related Injuries, Australia, Jul 2017 - Jun 2018

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, of the 13.4 million persons who had worked at some time in the 12 months Jul 2017 - Jun 2018, 4.2% (563,600) experienced their most recent work-related injury or illness during that same period.

Of the 4.2% of those who experienced a work-related injury or illness in 2017-18:

• approximately 84% continued to work in the job where their injury or illness occurred;
• approximately 7% had changed jobs; and
• 9% were not employed in the reference week.

More than half of the people who experienced a work-related injury or illness were men (54.4%). In 2017-18, 4.3% of males who worked in the last 12 months experienced a work-related injury or illness, down from 4.9% in 2013-14. However, the proportion of females who experienced a work-related injury or illness in the last 12 months increased from 3.6% in 2013-14 to 4.0% in 2017-18.

The highest work-related injury or illness rate occurred in the 50-54 year age group with 58 per 1000 persons who had worked at some time in the last 12 months, followed by the 20-24 year age group with 55 per 1000 persons (up from 41 per 1000 persons in 2013-14).

Of the 563,600 persons who experienced a work-related injury in the last 12 months, over half (53%) received some sort of financial assistance. Of those who received financial assistance, 52% received workers compensation, 45% did not apply for workers compensation and 3% applied for and did not receive workers compensation.

The number of people who did not receive financial assistance has increased from 39% in 2013-14 to 47% in 2017-18.

The number of persons who received workers compensation as a proportion of the total number of people who experienced a work-related injury or illness in the last 12 months has dropped from 35% (183,200) in 2013-14 to 27% (154,300) in 2017-18.

Find out more about the share of people who experienced a work-related injury or illness, by occupation groups and sex here.

This data may point to a need for brokers to be discussing group and individual personal accident and illness insurance solutions with their clients. Learn more about solutions that Blend offers here.

Source: https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6324.0

Blend Insurance Solutions Pty Ltd (ABN: 47 617 346 353 AFSL: 500768) (“blend”) is an underwriting agency and acts as agent under a binding authority for the Australian branch of Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd (ABN 54 163 304 907).

The content contained on this website is intended for insurance intermediaries only. The insurance products referred to on this website can only be purchased through a broker. Any information contained in this website has been prepared without taking into account your client’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Before deciding to acquire, or to continue to hold, this product(s), we recommend that your client considers whether it is appropriate for their circumstances and reads the Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’) and all relevant policy wording, a copy of which can be obtained by contacting blend.