Most ACC injury claims from agriculture, forestry and fishery workers

Accident Compensation Corporation. Photo / NZ Herald

Nearly a quarter of agriculture, forestry, and fishery workers had a work-related injury claim accepted by the Accident Compensation Corporation last year, Statistics New Zealand says.

"Agriculture, forestry, and fishery workers had the highest rate of injury claims," Statistics customer, policy, and research manager Michele Lloyd said.

Provisional figures for last year showed that agriculture, forestry, and fishery workers made 226 injury claims per 1000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), and 2.6 per cent of those workers experienced an injury that resulted in a week or more off work.

The overall rate of injury claims was 92 claims for every 1000 full time equivalent employees (FTEs).

Last year, ACC approved 182,900 claims for injuries incurred while working.

"Men are more prone to workplace accidents, with male workers generating 73 per cent of all claims and 95 per cent of all claims for workplace fatal claims," Ms Lloyd said.

Age was also a factor, with the highest rates of injury claims coming from workers aged between 15 and 24 and those over the age of 65.

The figures also revealed that self-employed workers were almost twice as likely to experience workplace injuries than employees, Ms Lloyd said.

Pacific people had the highest claim rate (104 claims per 1000 FTEs), followed by Maori (93), European (88), and Asian workers (52).

The regional picture placed Northland with the highest incidence rate - 130 claims per 1000 FTEs - followed closely by Gisborne/Hawkes Bay with 127, and Bay of Plenty with 125 claims.

Green Party industrial relations spokeswoman Denise Roche said the Government must commit more resources immediately to help reduce injuries in at-risk industries.

"Workers in these industries are often de-unionised and have to work all hours in variable weather.

"There are currently no regulations preventing work in poor weather for these high risk occupations," she said.

"While New Zealand continues to avoid putting in place regulations around such basic safety measures, workers in these industries will continue to be killed and injured."

WorkSafe New Zealand needed to start pushing for reforms that made a difference to the country's poor health and safety record for workers, Ms Roche said.

Other occupation groups with high rates of work-related injury claims last year were:

• trades workers - 187 per 1000 FTEs

• elementary occupations - 161 per 1000 FTEs

• plant and machine operators and assemblers - 158 per 1000 FTEs

Trends from final data for 2002-12 show that:

• the incidence rate has fallen each year since 2002 (from 129 claims per 1000 FTEs in 2002 to 92 in 2012)

• since 2002, the incidence rate has been consistently higher for self-employed workers than for employees. In 2012, the incidence rate was 85 claims per 1000 FTEs for employees compared with 147 for self-employed people

• agriculture and fishery workers have consistently had the highest claim rate since 2002