Australia’s top ten most dangerous industries revealed reported by Haydee. Available from <http://content.safetyculture.com.au/news/index.php/07/australias-top-ten-dangerous-industries-revealed/#.V6Q5v7h97Dd>. [02:22pm, Tuesday 26 July, 2016]
You don’t go to work thinking it’s your last day on earth, but for some people, the probability of being hurt or killed at work is part of the job.
These are workers who have so much more to worry about other than bad coffee and a nosy boss.
Australia’s most visited comparison site, www.finder.com.au, compiled a list of the most dangerous jobs in the country based on figures released by Safe Work Australia.
The agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries are on the top of this list with 43 workplace fatalities and 3,365 serious injuries among 313,000 workers in 2014.
The transport, postal and warehousing industries were ranked the second most dangerous with 46 fatalities in 2014, making up 15 percent of all worker fatalities from 2013-2014. However, the industry only saw the sixth highest number of serious compensation claims out of all industries for the year 2013-2014.
Ranked third on the list is the construction industry. In this industry, there is almost double the number of construction workers in Australia (1.026 million) than the second most dangerous jobs in transport (590,000), yet the construction industry is considered safer with fewer incidents of 31 workplace fatalities and 11,535 serious injuries in 2014.
Michelle Hutchison, Money Expert at finder.com.au says that while workers in these industries face the most safety risks, the results show that Australians are being safer in the workplace.
“It’s no surprise that agriculture, forestry, and fishing topped the list of Australia’s Most Dangerous Jobs, given commercial fishing is deemed as one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet,” she said.
“The top two most dangerous industries make up 47% of all workplace deaths in 2014, with road deaths the highest cause. In fact, road freight transport has been the single biggest workplace killer from 2003 to 2014 with 423 fatalities. Road passenger transport is far lower at 31 fatalities in the same timeframe. In 2014, 71 workers died on the roads, making up 31% of all workplace deaths.
“It was interesting to see that dangers lie in all industries across Australia, with jobs on the list from industries such as administration, and arts and recreation.
“These findings show that there are potential dangers across any industry, no matter how safe it might seem.”
Ms. Hutchison offers the following tips to increase safety habits in the workplace:
- Drive safely. Considering road freight transport caused 423 fatalities between 2003-2014, it’s important to remain vigilant behind the wheel.
- Know the safety rules and precautions. Simply being aware of the hazards around you can help prevent careless accidents.
- Prevent falling objects. Especially in the construction or warehousing industry, make sure you clear areas that could contribute to any accidents.
- Clear the workspace in order to stop tripping or any other accidents. Especially in industries such as construction or engineering, where clutter could be particularly dangerous.
- Consider taking out income protection insurance. This will help you secure that peace of mind that if something happens, you’ll be covered.
- Look after your back. There were 185 compensation claims for serious spinal injuries between 2013-2014, so it’s important to look after yourself.
- Make sure you wear protective equipment. This allows you to prevent extra injuries that could occur through lack of protection.
- Follow safety rules so that you can’t be held accountable if something does happen.
- Staying sober means that you will stay eligible for income protection insurance claims or workplace compensation claims. Some policies may exclude you if you are intoxicated.
- Make sure you ask an expert or a supervisor if you aren’t sure how to complete a job or task safely.
A spokesperson for Safe Work Australia told Fairfax Media that the results show that the rate of work-related deaths in the country is declining.
“Between 2003 and 2014, the rate of work-related injury fatalities fell by 41 percent from 2.75 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2003 to 1.61 in 2014,” she said.
“Over the same period, the number of worker fatalities fell by 27 percent from 259 to 188.”
The complete list, methodology, and an interactive graph are available at https://www.finder.com.au/most-dangerous-jobs-australia.
Australia’s top ten most dangerous industries revealed reported by Haydee. Available from <http://content.safetyculture.com.au/news/index.php/07/australias-top-ten-dangerous-industries-revealed/#.V6Q5v7h97Dd>. [02:22pm, Tuesday 26 July, 2016]
