Workplace

The Burden of Workplace Injury...

National Statistics:

• In 2007, sixty seven deaths were recorded as work related fatalities by ACC.
• Work-related injury claims amounted to 231,300 in 2007, and ACC paid out $227 million for treatment and rehabilitation.
• It has been estimated that each year in New Zealand there are about 200,000 occupational accidents resulting in ACC claims, about half of which result in disability and about 6% in permanent disability.
• Work-related fatal injuries account for around 7% of all external causes of death in people age 20 or older.

While there is no valid data available on the costs to New Zealand of work-related deaths, injuries and illnesses, it is believed that the cost to society is about $4.3 billion to $8.7 billion each year.

New Plymouth District Statistics:

• Overall in 2005/06, 639 or 29% of ACC new entitlement claims in New Plymouth District were work related.
• Manufacturing (19%) was the most common industry for which new work-related ACC claims were made, followed by agriculture/forestry/fishing (16%) and construction (15%).
• In terms of rates per 100,000 workers, the construction industry had the highest new ACC claim rate, followed by transport/storage and agriculture/forestry/fishing
• The most common diagnoses for new claims relating to injuries sustained in industrial places are soft tissue injuries (43%) and deafness (20%)
• The most common diagnoses for new claims relating to injuries occurring on farms are soft tissue injuries (42%) and fracture dislocations (30%)
• Injuries occuring at work account for 12% of injury-related Emergency Department attendances with males being four times more likely to be injured than females
• In 2005, 538 people from New Plymouth District (431 males and 107 females) attended public hospital Emergency Departments for injuries occurring at work