Claims for work-related injury: an overview
The provisional number of claims for work-related injuries that occurred in 2005 was 242,600 (as at 31 March 2006). These figures are provisional because claims for injuries that occurred in 2005 can still be updated and filed. Final figures (as at 31 March 2007) will be released in October 2007.
Over the last few years, the rate of injury has remained stable. Males continue to account for approximately three-quarters of all claims. Provisional figures for 2005 show an overall claim rate of 132 per 1,000 full-time equivalent workers (FTEs), and male and female rates of 170 and 81, respectively. The number of claims for injuries that occurred in 2005 is expected to rise as more information is received from Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) in the year ahead.
2005 work-related claims: selected findings
Industry
The injury rate was highest in the mining industry, with 198 injuries per 1,000 FTEs, although there were comparatively few workers in this sector, with only 5,400 FTEs. The next highest rates were associated with agriculture, forestry and fishing (190); manufacturing (169); and construction (167). In contrast, the lowest rate of 22 claims per 1,000 FTEs belonged to the finance and insurance industry.
The manufacturing industry accounted for more work-related claims than any other industry group, with 45,900 injuries (19 percent), ahead of construction (25,600 or 11 percent); and agriculture, forestry and fishing (24,500 or 10 percent). Together, these industries accounted for 40 percent of all injuries, but only 30 percent of the workforce.
Occupation
Workers in the elementary occupations group, which includes labourers, cleaners, freight handlers and refuse collectors, had the highest rate of work-related injury, with 287 claims per 1,000 FTEs. This was followed by agriculture and fisheries workers (265 per 1,000 FTEs), and plant and machine operators and assemblers, which includes meat and fish processing operators, heavy truck drivers, and building and related workers (245 per 1,000 FTEs). In contrast, the clerks occupation group recorded the fewest claims, with 45 claims per 1,000 FTEs.
Claims by males outnumbered those by females in all occupation groups, with the exception of service and sales workers and clerks, where 59 and 58 percent of claims were associated with females, respectively. Males filed 97 percent of all claims by trade workers, 89 percent of claims by plant and machine operators and assemblers, and 78 percent of claims by agriculture and fishery workers. These three groups were also associated with the most claims.
Age
Workers aged 35–44 years made the highest number of claims, accounting for 24 percent of all claims for work-related injuries, ahead of those in the 45- to 54-year age group (21 percent). Workers aged 65 years and over made only 4 percent of all work-related claims but had the highest incidence rate, with 213 claims per 1,000 FTEs, while those aged 15–24 years had the second highest rate, 163 per 1,000 FTEs.
Geographic region
While 27 percent of all work-related injuries occurred in Auckland, the regions with the highest incidence rates were the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay, with 197 and 180 claims per 1,000 FTEs, respectively. The lowest rate, 74 claims per 1,000 FTEs, occurred in the Wellington region.
Fatal claims
By 31 March 2006, there were 86 claims for work-related fatal injuries that occurred in 2005.
By occupation, 16 of those who died were plant and machine operators and assemblers, 12 were agriculture and fisheries workers and 10 worked in elementary occupations. The remaining 48 fatalities were distributed amongst a range of occupations.
Eighteen of the fatalities were in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industrial group; 18 in construction; 15 in manufacturing; and 12 in transport and storage. This reflected the high overall rate of injury in these sectors, with the exception of the latter, which had a comparatively lower rate of 111 claims per 1,000 FTEs for all injuries, compared with the average rate of 132 per 1,000 FTEs.
Regionally, the largest number (20) came from Auckland, at a rate of 4 fatalities per 100,000 FTEs, followed by Otago/Southland, with 17 deaths, at a significantly higher rate (13 per 100,000 FTEs) compared with the national average of five per 100,000 FTEs.
The over 65-year age group accounted for 25 deaths, which is more than any other group, also at the highest rate of 61 per 100,000 FTEs. Males made up the majority of fatalities.
The provisional figure for 2005 is expected to increase in the coming year, as workers who have been seriously injured fail to recover from their injuries. It should also be noted that not all work-related fatalities result in claims to ACC.
The number of fatalities in 2002 to 2004 has remained stable, with 95 in 2002, 93 in 2003 and 94 in 2004.
Additional findings: a summary
The following are a selection of findings drawn from the accompanying table set. While the numbers quoted are for injuries that occurred in 2005, it is worth noting that these trends have remained largely consistent over the last four years.
Ethnicity
Seventy percent of all claims were made for work-related injuries to Europeans. Maori made up 13 percent, with a further 5 percent associated with Pacific peoples. However, Maori workers had the highest incidence rate, with 182 claims per 1,000 FTEs, compared with an incidence rate of 119 for Europeans and 158 for Pacific peoples.
Cost
The total cost of treatment, compensation and rehabilitation for injuries that occurred in 2005 was $196 million, at an average of $805 per claim. Fatal claims were associated with $2.4 million, while weekly compensation cost approximately $52 million and total rehabilitation cost $104 million.
Claims per person
Around 214,000 workers made the 242,600 of claims for work-related injury that occurred in 2005. Of these, around 190,300 workers (89 percent) lodged only one claim. A further 20,100 (9 percent) lodged two claims, i.e. sustained two separate injury events. Only 3,600 workers (1.5 percent) had more than three claims.
Employment status
While employees sustained 83 percent of work-related injuries, the self-employed had a considerably higher incidence rate (203 claims per 1,000 FTEs) than employees (123 claims per 1000 FTEs).
Type of injury
By far the most common type of injury was sprains and strains, accounting for 102,400 claims (42 percent). This was well ahead of open wounds (38,600 or 16 percent) and contusions (22,500 or 9 percent). These injuries groupings were also associated with the more serious injuries, such as those requiring weekly compensation, independence allowance, or death or rehabilitation payments.
Serious injury claims
Around 13 percent of all claims resulted in payments of weekly compensation, the independence allowance, r death or rehabilitation payments (collectively known as entitlement payments). These claims are more serious than those requiring medical fees only. Almost one-quarter (25 percent) of these were associated with workers in the manufacturing industry, followed by construction (14 percent); and agriculture, forestry and fishing (13 percent).
Bodily location of injury
When grouped by bodily location, injuries to the wrist and hand, 45,300 or 19 percent, were the most common, narrowly ahead of abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine and pelvis (42,900 or 18 percent), and head and neck (38,200 or 16 percent).
Claims resulting in weekly compensation payment
While 218,300 claims did not result in the payment of weekly compensation (90 percent), of those that did, 1 percent required payment for a period of between one and six days, 3 percent for a period of 7–28 days, 5 percent for a period of 29–182 days, and 1 percent for longer.
Scene of injury
Just over one-third (37 percent) of all injuries occurred in a commercial or service location, ahead of the 32 percent that happened in an industrial place. A further 8 percent of injuries occurred on farms and 7 percent within homes.
Next release
Claims for Work-Related Injuries: 2006 will be released in October 2007.