Work-related injuries

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People who experienced a work-related injury or illness, including type of injury, job details and work-related injury rates

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Reference period
2021-22 financial year

Key statistics

  • 497,300 people had a work-related injury or illness (3.5% of people who worked at some time during the year).
  • The most common cause of injury or illness was 'Lifting, pushing, pulling or bending' (24%).
  • 66% had time off as a result of the injury or illness.
  • 31% received workers compensation for the injury or illness.

Work-related injuries microdata in DataLab

Work-related injuries microdata from Sep 2000 to 2021-22 is now available in ABS DataLab, released as a supplementary file for the Longitudinal Labour Force (LLFS) microdata. All existing users of the LLFS microdata will automatically get access to the additional file and new users can apply for access to both files. 

A detailed data item list for the Work-related injuries microdata is available in Microdata: Work-related injuries.

Overview

In 2021-22, there were 14.1 million people who had worked at some time during the last 12 months. Within this group, there were 497,300 people who experienced a work-related injury or illness during that same 12 month period. This equates to a work-related injury rate of 3.5%, which is down from 4.2% in 2017-18 and 6.4% in 2005-06.

Note: It should be noted that trends in the incidence of work-related injuries are influenced by a multitude of factors, which include improvements in workplace health and safety, as well as changes in the nature of work, as more people work in clerical and service-related roles. The impacts of COVID-19 also had some influence over the results of the 2021-22 survey, as noted below.  

COVID-19 Impacts

The latest data presented in this release of Work-related Injuries was collected between July 2021 and June 2022 and covers any work-related injuries that occurred in the 12 months prior to interview (as far back as July 2020). ABS advises caution when analysing the incidence of work-related injuries over this period, as the reduced level of economic activity during this time contributes to a lower likelihood of experiencing a work-related injury.

Of the people who experienced a work-related injury or illness in 2021-22:

  • 85% continued to work in the job where their injury or illness occurred.
  • 8% changed jobs.
  • 7% left or lost the job where the injury occurred and were not working (at the time of interview).

More than half of the people who experienced a work-related injury or illness were men (58%).

In 2021-22, 3.9% of males who worked in the last 12 months experienced a work-related injury or illness, down from 4.4% in 2017-18. The proportion of females who experienced a work-related injury or illness in the last 12 months decreased from 4.1% in 2017-18 to 3.1% in 2021-22.

The age group with the highest rate of work-related injuries or illness was people aged 55 - 59 years with a rate of 4.7% (up from 4.6% in 2017-18), followed by people aged 20 - 24 years at 4.0% (down from 5.5% in 2017-18).

Injuries

The most common types or injuries or illnesses sustained remained the same in 2021-22 as in 2017-18. The most common injuries were:

  • Sprains, strains or dislocations - 26%.
  • Chronic joint or muscle conditions - 20%.
  • Cuts or open wounds - 12%.

In 2021-22, the most common causes of work-related injuries were:

  • Lifting, pushing, pulling or bending - 24%.
  • Fall on same level (including slip or fall) - 17%.
  • Hitting or being hit or cut by an object or vehicle - 11%.

In 2021-22, most work-related injuries occurred in the workplace (91%). 6% of injuries occurred while travelling on business, travelling to or from work, or while on lunchtime or break activities. Only 1% of work-related injuries occurred while working from home. 

Working arrangements

Of the 497,300 people who experienced a work-related injury or illness in 2021-22:

  • 88% (436,500) were employees in the job where the most recent injury occurred.
    • 68% (338,500) were employees with paid leave entitlements.
    • 20% (98,000) were employees without paid leave entitlements.
  • 12% (59,800) were owner managers.

63% (311,100) of people who experienced a work-related injury or illness in the last 12 months were working full-time. 32% (157,200) were working under shift arrangements.

Occupation and Industry

In 2021-22, the occupation groups with the highest rates of work-related injuries were:

  • Community and personal service workers - 7.0%.
  • Machinery operators and drivers - 6.5%.
  • Labourers - 5.7%.
  • Technicians and trades workers - 5.3%.

The industries with the highest rates of work-related injuries were:

  • Accommodation and food services - 5.6%.
  • Agriculture, forestry and fishing - 5.4%.
  • Transport, postal and warehousing - 5.1%.

The industries with the lowest rates were:

  • Professional, scientific and technical services - 1.0%.
  • Financial and insurance services - 1.3%.
  • Administrative and support services - 2.3%.

Of the 288,800 males who experienced a work-related injury or illness in the last 12 months, the most common occupations were:

  • Technicians and trades workers - 24%.
  • Machinery operators and drivers - 15%.
  • Labourers - 15%.

There were 208,500 females who experienced work related injuries or illnesses in 2021-22, and the most common occupations were:

  • Community and personal service workers - 27%.
  • Professionals - 20%.

In 2020-21, the most common industries where men experienced a work-related injury or illness in the last 12 months were:

  • Construction - 17%.
  • Public administration and safety - 12%.
  • Transport, postal and warehousing - 11%.

And for women the most common industries were:

  • Health care and social assistance - 27%.
  • Education and training - 14%.
  • Accommodation and food services - 12%.

Absences

Of the 497,300 people who experienced a work-related injury or illness, two out of three (66%) had some time off work. Of those who took time off:

  • 10% took off part of a day or shift.
  • 36% took one to four days off.
  • 17% took five to ten days off.
  • 34% took more than ten days off.
  • 4% had not returned to work since the injury or illness occurred.

Of those who took time off work, the injuries or illnesses that had the highest average number of days off were:

  • Stress or other mental health conditions - 44 days off.
  • Fractures or broken bones - 29 days off.
  • Chronic joint or muscle conditions - 22 days off.

15% of people who experienced a work-related injury were no longer working in the job in which the injury or illness occurred. Of these, 32% left as a result of the injury.

Financial assistance

Of those who experienced a work-related injury in the last 12 months, over half (57%) received some sort of financial assistance. Of those who received financial assistance:

  • 54% received workers' compensation.
  • 43% did not apply for workers' compensation.
  • 3% applied for and did not receive workers' compensation.

The number of people who did not receive financial assistance has decreased from 47% in 2017-18 to 43% in 2021-22.

The proportion of people who experienced a work-related injury and were on workers' compensation has increased from 27% in 2017-18 to 31% in 2021-22.

Of the 323,700 people who did not apply for workers' compensation:

  • 39% did not apply because they considered their injury to be minor or did not think workers' compensation was necessary.
  • 14% did not think they were eligible for workers' compensation.
  • 10% were not covered or not aware of workers' compensation.

Reporting injuries

Of those who experienced a work-related injury in 2021-22, 88% (439,300) reported it to someone in the workplace. The most common people who were informed were:

  • Supervisor or Line manager - 77%.
  • Colleague - 26%.
  • Health and safety representative - 17%.
  • Employer - 13%.

Post release changes

20/03/2024 - The published outputs in data downloads have been updated for consistency with the data in DataLab. 

Data downloads

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Tables

Data files

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 6324.0.

Information related to work-related injuries is also available in:

Methodology

Work-related injuries methodology, 2021-22 financial year