6324.0 - Work-Related Injuries, Australia, Sep 2000  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 12/10/2001   
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INTRODUCTION

1 The statistics in this publication were compiled from data collected in the Work-Related Injuries Survey that was conducted throughout Australia in September 2000 as a supplement to the monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS). Respondents to the LFS who fell within the scope of the supplementary survey were asked further questions.

2 The publication Labour Force, Australia (Cat. no. 6203.0) contains information about survey design, sample redesign, scope, coverage and population benchmarks relevant to the monthly LFS, which also apply to supplementary surveys. It also contains definitions of demographic and labour force characteristics which are relevant to both the monthly LFS and supplementary surveys.


SCOPE

3 The scope of the LFS was restricted to persons aged 15 and over and excluded the following persons:

  • members of the permanent defence forces;
  • certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from census and estimated populations;
  • overseas residents in Australia; and,
  • members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants);

4 Students at boarding schools, patients in hospitals, residents of homes (e.g. retirement homes, homes for persons with handicaps) and inmates of prisons are excluded from all supplementary surveys.

5 The survey was conducted in both urban and rural areas in all States and Territories, but excluded approximately 80,000 persons living in remote and sparsely settled parts of Australia who would otherwise have been within the scope of the survey. The exclusion of these persons will have only a minor impact on any aggregate estimates that are produced for individual States and Territories, except in the Northern Territory where such persons account for over 20% of the population.

6 The survey was restricted to persons who worked at some time during the year ending September 2000.


COVERAGE

7 The estimates in this publication relate to persons within the scope of the survey in September, 2000. In the LFS, coverage rules are applied which aim to ensure that each person is associated with only one dwelling and hence has only one chance of selection in the survey. See Labour Force, Australia (Cat. no. 6203.0).


RELIABILITY OF THE ESTIMATES

8 Estimates in this publication are subject to sampling and non-sampling errors:
  • Sampling error is the difference between the published estimate and the value that would have been produced if all dwellings had been included in the survey. For further information on sampling error, refer to the Technical Note.
  • Non-sampling errors are inaccuracies that occur because of imperfections in reporting by respondents and interviewers, and errors made in coding and processing data. These inaccuracies may occur in any enumeration, whether it be a full count or a sample. Every effort is made to reduce the non-sampling error to a minimum by careful design of questionnaires, intensive training and supervision of interviewers, and efficient processing procedures.


SEASONAL FACTORS

9 The estimates are based on information collected in the survey month and, due to seasonal factors, may not be representative of other months of the year.


CLASSIFICATIONS USED

10 Occupation data are classified according to the second edition of the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO). For more detailed information see ASCO Australian Standard Classifications of Occupations, Second Edition (Cat. no. 1220.0).

11 Industry data are classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), a more detailed description of which appears in Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 1993 (Cat. no. 1292.0).


COMPARABILITY WITH MONTHLY LABOUR FORCE SURVEY DATA

12 Due to differences in the scope and sample size of this supplementary survey and that of the LFS, the estimation procedure may lead to some small variations between labour force estimates from this survey and those from the LFS.

13 This publication also excludes persons in institutions (e.g. boarding schools, hospitals, prisons, retirement homes), who are included in estimates of persons not in the labour force contained in Labour Force, Australia.


COMPARABILITY WITH ILO DEFINITIONS

14 The International Labour Organisation (ILO) reviewed definitions and standards for the collection of statistics in relation to occupational injuries at the Sixteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS). The coverage of work-related injuries and illnesses by this survey is broadly consistent with international standards except for:
  • the exclusion of work-related injuries or illnesses resulting in death;
  • general scope exclusions (See paragraphs 3-5 of Explanatory Notes); and,
  • this survey collected information relating only to injuries or illnesses sustained by persons who worked at some time during the previous 12 months.

15 The term 'work-related injuries or illnesses' as used in this survey, is broadly consistent with ICLS standards. However, the survey did not distinguish between 'work-related illnesses', 'work-related injuries' or 'work-related injuries sustained on journeys to or from work'. Instead, the survey broadly defined work-related injuries and illnesses as those sustained as a result of work activities, or on a journey to or from work, or aggravation of pre-existing conditions where employment was a contributing factor.


CHANGES IN TERMINOLOGY

16 In August 2000, the Australian Bureau of Statistics Supplementary Survey Program replaced the terms 'Permanent' and 'Casual' in classifying employees, in order to more accurately reflect the concepts being measured in practice. The term 'Permanent' has been replaced with 'With leave entitlements', and 'Casual' has been replaced with 'Without leave entitlements'. A definition of 'Leave entitlements' is included in the Glossary.


ACKNOWLEDGMENT

17 ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated: without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.


RELATED PUBLICATIONS

18 Other publications which may be of interest include:
  • Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods (Cat. no. 6102.0)
  • National Health Survey: Injuries Australia (Cat. no. 4384.0)
  • Survey of Employment Arrangements and Superannuation, Australia (Cat. no. 6361.0)

19 Current publications produced by the ABS are listed in the Catalogue of Publications and Products (Cat. no. 1101.0). The ABS also issues, on Tuesdays and Fridays, a Release Advice (Cat.no. 1105.0) which lists publications to be released in the next few days.