Work related injuries dominated by three sectors

The number of work-related injuries has remained stable over the last four years but, of the injuries suffered, most are caused by three industries, Statistics New Zealand says.

Figures for last year revealed a rate of about 132 injury claims per 1000 fulltime equivalent (FTE) workers, statistician Brian Pink said.

About 40 per cent of work-related injuries were accounted for by agriculture, forestry and fishing; manufacturing; and construction, with respective injury rates of 190, 169 and 167 per 1000 FTEs.

Those industries represented about 30 per cent of all workers.

Mining - a relatively small industry with about 5400 workers - was the only group with a higher injury rate of 198 per 1000 FTEs, Mr Pink said.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing; manufacturing; and construction, were also linked to the majority of serious injuries, which required weekly compensation or rehabilitation payments from the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

Mr Pink said the figures also showed that males accounted for almost three-quarters of all claims.

Bay of Plenty workers lodged the highest number of claims for work-related injuries - 197 claims per 1000 FTEs, and the lowest rate occurred in the Wellington region with only 74 per 1000 FTE claims submitted.

- NZPA