According to a Safe Work Australia report

  • Over the 13-year period, 2000 to 2013, an average of 12 600 employees made a workers' compensation claim which involved payment for one or more weeks off work. This equates to 35 employees each day being injured seriously enough to require one or more weeks off work.
  • The part of the body most often injured while working in the construction industry was the lower back, which accounted for 15% of injuries. This was followed by injuries to fingers & thumb (12%), the knee (11%) and shoulder (9%).
  • Almost half (49%) the injured workers in the construction industry were employed as technicians and trades workers at the time of their injuries. The workers within this group with the most injuries were bricklayers, carpenters and joiners.
  • Over the 3-year period 2009-10 to 2011-12 the typical cost of a serious claim in the construction. industry was $10 200.
  • In 2011-12 a typical serious claim in the construction industry involved 6.4 weeks off work. The amount of time off work has increased 39% since 2003-04.
  • Over the 11 year period 2003 to 2013 there were 401 work-related fatalities in the construction industry - an average of 36 every year.
  • Fractures were responsible for almost one-third of construction worker injuries requiring hospitalisation.
  • 28% of construction deaths were caused by falls from a height - most involved ladders, mobile ramps & stairways, and scaffolding.

Quick Risk Check List

  1. PPE
  2. Logbooks
  3. Procedures
  4. Signs