Males Dominate Work-Related Injury Claims

Males Dominate Work-Related Injury Claims

According to the latest injury statistics released today by Statistics New Zealand, males are around twice as likely as females to have an accepted claim for a work-related injury. In 2004, 176 per 1,000 male full-time equivalent (FTEs) employees were injured compared with 84 per 1,000 female FTEs. Males also accounted for almost three-quarters of all work-related injury claims. This pattern is a consistent feature of work-related claims for injury between 2001 and 2004

In 2004 245,200 claims were accepted (as at 31 March 2005), an increase of 2 percent compared with the previous year. Seventy-four percent of claims were made for work-related injury to males and 26 percent for injury to females. These claims were made by 214,500 workers. There were also 73 claims for fatal injury in 2004 and 69 of these claims were made in relation to male workers

The plant and machine operators and assemblers occupation group, which includes meat and fish processing operators, heavy truck drivers and building and related workers, had the highest number (18 percent) of claims for work-related injuries. However, workers in the elementary occupations group, which includes labourers, had the highest rate of work-related injury (275 claims per 1,000 FTEs). The safest occupation group was clerks, with 46 claims per 1,000 FTEs

By region, the highest incidence rates occurred in Northland and Gisborne/Hawke's Bay, with rates of 191 and 187 claims per 1,000 FTEs, respectively. The lowest rate, of 77 claims per 1,000 FTEs, occurred in the Wellington region

Claims for work-related injuries occurring in 2004 had incurred costs of $177.7 million to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) by the end of March 2005

Detailed statistical tables giving more information about characteristics such as the occupation and industry of injured workers, are available on the Statistics New Zealand website (www.stats.govt.nz)

Ian Ewing

Acting Government Statistician

ENDS

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