Archive, Industry News

National annual logistics injury rates refuse to shift

Drivers and machinery operators continue to face the greatest risk

 

Those driving or operating machinery continue to face the most risky conditions, Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures for 2013-14 show.

This segment accounted for the highest rate of injury or illness based on occupation group at 88 per 1,000 employees and this rate is unchanged from last year.

Work-related injury or illness rates for the transport, postal and warehousing sector criteria that the ABS uses, at 76 per 1,000 employed persons, is sandwiched between manufacturing (82 per 1,000) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (72 per 1,000) at the top of the table.

The transport, postal and warehousing rate also remains unchanged from last year.

Of the 323,700 males who experienced a work-related injury or illness in the last 12 months, 31 per cent were technicians and trades workers, 18 per cent were machinery operators and drivers and 15 per cent were managers when the injury or illness occurred; and 20 per cent were employed in the manufacturing industry, 16 per cent in construction and 10 per cent in transport, postal and warehousing when the injury or illness occurred.

These were not among the top three work segment for women.

The most common types of injuries or illnesses sustained were sprain and/or strain (33 per cent), followed by chronic joint or muscle conditions (21 per cent), and cut or open wound (14 per cent).

Of the 531,800 persons who experienced a work-related injury or illness, 34 per cent (181,200) sustained their injury or illness through lifting, pushing, pulling or bending, 20 per cent (106,200) by hitting, being hit or cut by an object or vehicle, 13 per cent (68,200) through a fall on the same level and 9 per cent (46,000) through repetitive movement with low muscle loading.

 

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