2022 January 12
The latest WorkSafe full-year figures show injuries are still prevalent in working environments with more than a third resulting in muscular stress due to lifting, carrying and putting down objects.
WorkSafe figures show that 31,419 workers were injured at work in 2020 and had to take more than a week off work as a result. This is a slight drop from the 32,910 injured in the year before - although the 2020 figures included extended lockdown periods when many people were not working.
More than a third of the injuries resulted from various types of muscular stress with most of these occurring when lifting, carrying and putting down objects. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the next most common cause of injury related to falls on the same level and falls from height. Vehicle incidents, which are a leading cause of workplace fatalities, only accounted for 882 injuries over the year.
The industries with the highest rates of injuries were aquaculture and fishing, hunting and trapping although the total number of claims for these industries was very small. Next came the industries that are well recognised for a higher risk of injury and death – manufacturing, transport, postal and warehousing, construction, forestry and logging, and agriculture.
Data suggests that the industry with the lowest injury rate is financial and insurance services - especially if you work in Wellington.
You can view the full statistics here.
Article courtesy of Vero Liability