How many more workers must die before workplace safety becomes a priority?

Vehicle incidents were the leading cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for 92 deaths. Falls from a height claimed the lives of 28 workers, while 21 workers lost their lives after being hit by falling objects.

Serious injuries are still happening every day

Workplace fatalities are the most devastating outcome, but they are only part of the picture.

Safe Work Australia recorded approximately 147,200 serious workers’ compensation claims in 2024–25. The median time lost from work for a serious claim was 8.2 weeks.

For a worker, weeks away from work can mean lost income, disruption to family life and uncertainty about whether they will be able to return to the same job.

The figures also show the growing impact of mental health conditions at work. Mental health conditions accounted for 17,900 serious claims in 2024-2025, with serious mental health claims increasing by 169% over the past decade. The median time lost from work for these claims was 34.8 weeks.

Workplace safety must protect both physical and mental health. Neither can be treated as secondary.

Safety must come before getting the job done

Policies and procedures matter, but only if they change what happens at work.

Workers need safe systems of work, appropriate equipment and enough time to do their jobs safely. No deadline, staffing shortage or production target should come before a worker's safety.

Employers and other duty holders have obligations to identify and manage workplace risks and take reasonably practicable steps to protect workers.

Workplace safety means acting on hazards before someone is hurt, listening when workers raise safety concerns, and learning from incidents rather than waiting for the same failures to happen again.   

The long-term fall in Australia’s fatality rate demonstrates that progress is possible. The challenge is to keep pushing for safer work, particularly where the risks are well known and the pressure to get the job done is high.

Unions are pushing for safer workplaces

Unions play an important role in advocating for safer workplaces. They raise safety concerns, push for stronger protections and stand with workers when unsafe practices are ignored.

Our Maurice Blackburn team works closely with unions across Australia to support injured workers and advocate for safer workplaces. We help workers understand and enforce their rights, while supporting efforts to improve workplace protections before another worker is hurt.

We should expect better

Work should not cost people their lives or their health.

While preventing workplace injuries must remain the priority, when an injury does happen, workers should not be left to deal with the consequences alone.

If you have been injured at work, you may have rights to workers’ compensation and other entitlements.

Understanding those rights can be particularly important where an injury affects your ability to work, requires ongoing treatment or has a lasting impact on your life.

Maurice Blackburn’s workplace injury lawyers can advise you about your options and help you understand where you stand.

Contact us to find out more.

_{Source: Safe Work Australia, Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2026, released 12 October 2026.}