Safe Work Australia has released the Australian Workers’ Compensation Statistics 2011-12 report
- There were 120 155 accepted workers’ compensation claims for serious injury or disease,
- males accounted for 64 per cent of serious claims in 2010-11
- the average age of an employee with a serious claim was 42 years old, and
The highest incidence rate of serious claims by industry was recorded by the Agriculture, forestry & fishing industry (21.3 serious claims per 1000 employees)—nearly double the national rate of 11.4.
The report also shows that over the period 2000–01 to 2010–11:
- the number of serious claims decreased by 7 per cent, incidence rates decreased by 27 per cent and frequency rates decreased by 25 per cent
- median time lost from work rose by 20 per cent from 4.2 to 5.0 working weeks, and median compensation paid rose by 60 per cent from $5200 to $8300
