Safe Work Australia has released the latest data on worker fatalities and serious workers’ compensation claims.

The report shows that in 2018, 144 people were fatally injured at work. The number and rate of worker fatalities have continued to decline in line with long-term trends.

“While these trends are encouraging, they are not a cause for celebration. Every work-related fatality is a tragedy, and there’s a lot more work to be done” Safe Work Australia CEO, Michelle Baxter said.

“We know that work-related fatalities, injuries and disease have a devastating impact on workers and their families. Understanding the latest statistics can help identify ways to prevent these” Ms Baxter said.

Along with a reduction in fatalities, the rate of serious workers’ compensation claims continued to trend downwards, decreasing to 5.5 serious claims per million hours worked in 2017-18.

The report is accessible here.