Statistics

These statistics come from The Burden of Occupational Disease and Injury in New Zealand

Work-related disease

It is estimated that between 700 and 1,000 workers die prematurely in New Zealand as a result of work-related disease each year:

• About 80% of these deaths occur in men
• About 30%-40% of these deaths are due to occupational cancers including lung cancer, mesothelioma, leukaemia, and bladder cancer
• Other occupational diseases representing a high burden include ischaemic heart disease and respiratory diseases.

There are an estimated 17,000-20,000 new cases of work-related disease and 2,500-5,500 new severe cases of work-related disease every year:

• About 75% of these diseases occur in men
• Musculoskeletal disease is thought to be the highest incidence occupation-related disease, followed by diseases of the ear, skin disorders, chronic respiratory disease, diseases of the digestive system, and cancer.

Work-related injury

There are about 100 work-related fatal injuries in New Zealand every year:

• Just over 94% of these deaths occur in men
• The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector has the highest number of fatal work-related injury deaths
• Deaths from work-related injury are primarily due to motor vehicles, machinery-related accidents, water-transport accidents, people being struck by falling objects, and people falling.

Each year in New Zealand over 200,000 occupational injuries result in ACC claims. This corresponds to 12 injuries per 100 workers:

• About 74% of the work-related injuries occur in males
• The manufacturing sector has the highest number of work-related injuries
• The highest injury-incidence rates are in the mining industry, construction industry, and agriculture, forestry and fishing sector
• Sprains and strains are by far the most frequent injury (90,000 claims), followed by open wounds (37,000 claims)
• An estimated 50% of injuries result in impairment, and 6% in permanent impairment.

Publications on Statistics

Follow this link to see relevant publications on statistics.