Agriculture, forestry workers at highest risk of injury
Agriculture, forestry, and fishery workers at highest risk of injury
15 October 2014
Just under one-quarter of agriculture, forestry, and fishery workers had a work-related injury claim accepted by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) in 2013, Statistics New Zealand said today.
“Agriculture, forestry, and fishery workers had the highest rate of injury claims,” customer, policy, and research manager Michele Lloyd said.
Provisional figures for 2013 show that agriculture, forestry, and fishery workers made 226 injury claims per 1,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), and 2.6 percent of these workers experienced an injury that resulted in a week or more off work.
Other occupation groups with high
rates of work-related injury claims in 2013
were:
• trades workers – 187 per 1,000
FTEs
• elementary occupations – 161 per 1,000
FTEs
• plant and machine operators and assemblers –
158 per 1,000 FTEs.
The overall rate of injury claims in New Zealand was 92 claims for every 1,000 full time equivalent employees (FTEs). In 2013, ACC approved 182,900 claims for injuries incurred while working.
“Men are more prone to workplace accidents, with male workers generating 73 percent of all claims and 95 percent of all claims for workplace fatal claims,” Ms Lloyd said.
Age is 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 release also reveals that self-employed workers are almost twice as likely to experience workplace injuries than employees.
Pacific peoples had the highest claim rate (104 claims per 1,000 FTEs), followed by Māori (93), European (88), and Asian workers (52).
The regional picture places Northland with the highest incidence rate – 130 claims per 1,000 FTEs – followed closely by Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay with 127, and Bay of Plenty with 125 claims.
For more information about these statistics: Visit Injury Statistics – Work-related Claims: 2013
ENDS