Unveiling Australia's Most Hazardous Occupations: A Deep Dive into Workplace Risks

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A third of jobs accounted for more than half of Australia’s serious work injury claims in 2024, while only three in 10 injured workers across the entire workforce reported receiving workers’ compensation.

Safe Work Australia’s Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia report for 2025, released on Friday, revealed 188 workers died from traumatic injuries while working in Australia in 2024, with a rate of 1.3 deaths per 100,000 workers.

Over the past decade, that figure has decreased by 24 per cent, from a rate of 1.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2014.

Workers aged 45 and over accounted for more than half of worker fatalities recorded.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), the leading organization advocating for workers’ rights in Australia, has acknowledged the positive trend of reducing workplace fatalities. However, they emphasized that 188 families endured the tragic loss of a loved one last year, underscoring the ongoing need for safety improvements.

A chart showing the cause of worker fatalities in 2024.

In 2024, incidents involving vehicles represented 42% of all worker fatalities, highlighting a significant area of concern for occupational safety. Source: SBS News

Liam O’Brien, assistant secretary of the ACTU, remarked on the heightened risks faced by certain groups of workers. “Health and care workers, tradespeople, factory workers, and those who ensure community safety are among the most vulnerable,” he stated in a recent announcement.

Safe Work Australia’s report found four sectors collectively made up more than half of the 146,700 serious workers’ compensation claims in 2024.

Those industry divisions were health care and social assistance (19.9 per cent), construction (12 per cent), manufacturing (10.1 per cent) and public administration and safety (9.2 per cent).

However, those sectors only represented 36.3 per cent of filled jobs covered by a workers’ compensation scheme.

Overall, across all industries, three in 10 injured workers reported receiving workers’ compensation, while the rest either did not lodge a claim or did not receive compensation.

The ACTU expressed alarm that seven in 10 injured workers were not receiving compensation, citing barriers in reporting and under-reporting that obscured the actual cost of workplace injuries across Australia.

In the fiscal year 2023-2024, there were 146,700 serious workers’ compensation claims, each involving at least a week’s absence from work. This equates to over 400 serious claims being filed every day, signaling a critical area for occupational health focus.

A chart showing worker fatalities in 2024, divided by occupation.

In 2024, machinery operators and drivers accounted for the highest proportion of worker fatalities (32 per cent) and also recorded the highest fatality rate at 6.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers, according to the report. Source: SBS News

The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry had a rate of 13.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2024, followed by transport, postal and warehousing (7.4 fatalities per 100,000 workers) and mining (3.4 fatalities per 100,000 workers).

Vehicle incidents were by far the most common cause of death at 42 per cent, and at least one vehicle was directly involved in the incident in 66 per cent of worker fatalities in 2024.

Other causes of death included falls from a height (13 per cent), being hit by moving objects (9 per cent), being hit by falling objects (7 per cent), and being trapped by moving machinery or equipment or between stationary and moving objects (both 5 per cent).

Workers aged 45 and over accounted for more than half of worker fatalities recorded.

Mental health claims on the rise

The report also found that over the past decades, serious claims for mental health conditions have experienced the largest change across any major injury group, with a 161 per cent increase.

Mental stress is now the fourth most common cause of serious claims, at 11.5 per cent.

The median time lost from serious claims related to mental stress is about five times the median time lost across all serious claims and leads to significantly more time off work.

Mental health claims also represented the costliest form of workplace injury — leading to more than four times the median compensation paid across all serious claims.

While men accounted for the vast majority of deaths (180) in 2024 and accounted for 58 per cent of all serious claims, the report found women’s serious claims were more than twice as likely to involve mental health conditions as men’s.

On average, women’s claims also involved more time away from work. Median compensation paid for serious claims remains 20.4 per cent higher for men — $17,600 to $14,600.

The ACTU said unions were calling for greater legislative protection for workers who were exposed to psychosocial hazards on the job, such as violence and aggression, sexual harassment and discrimination.

O’Brien said: “Employers must treat work stress and intensification with the same seriousness as any other health and safety consideration.”