Australia had a high workplace fatality rate in the early 1900s. In the 1920s, it was one of the highest in the world and continued to be so until the 1980s. Since then, Australia has seen a significant decline in workplace deaths. However, there has been an increase in work-related injuries.

Part of the government's efforts to improve WHS conditions are initiatives to monitor workplace safety incidents by key demographics and trends. For this reason, Safe Work Australia, the country’s WHS agency, has been releasing safety statistics on an annual basis. These statistics are a key component of workplace health and safety management, as they are used to track the number of injuries, illnesses, accidents, fires, and other incidents that occur at a company. The data helps organizations understand where their employees are most at risk for injury or illness and what types of injuries or illnesses occur most frequently.

In the past, workplace health and safety statistics were not so well-known. There was a lack of awareness and understanding in the community about the dangers of working on construction sites and in factories.

The government had to take action to educate businesses and individuals on the importance of health and safety regulations.

In 2016, there were 554 deaths on Australian construction sites, which is more than double than those reported in 2015. The number of workers who suffered from an injury or illness during the construction process also increased from 2000 to 2016.

Workers’ compensation claims for injuries sustained on-site increased by 23% between 2000 and 2016.

In 2000, there were 15 work-related deaths per 100,000 workers. By 2010, this number had risen to 18 deaths per 100,000 workers. The current rate is 21 deaths per 100,000 workers (Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport, and Regional Economics).

The rate of injuries has also increased since 2000 by 6%. Injuries are most common among older workers between 55-64 years old (Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport, and Regional Economics).

In 2017, there were 890 fatalities due to falls at work. A total of 34% of these fatalities occurred in Victoria were more than 2 million people are working in construction jobs.

However, things have changed dramatically in recent years. Employers now know that if they don't pay attention to workplace health and safety, they could lose their employees—or worse, end up with a lawsuit on their hands from someone who was injured at work.

Safety statistics also help policymakers make decisions about how best to protect workers' health and safety by providing them with objective information about hazards in the workplace.

The following statistics show how far Australia has come since its early days as a country with few laws governing workplace safety: