Safe Work Australia has provided new national statistics on deaths among workers and bystanders across the country. 

The authority says 194 people were fatally injured at work in 2020. The rate of work-related fatalities has decreased 25 per cent over the last decade and 50 per cent since 2007.

Over two-thirds of worker fatalities occurred in the three most dangerous industries - transport, postal and warehousing (49 fatalities), agriculture, forestry and fishing (46 fatalities) and construction (36 fatalities)

The three most common causes of worker fatalities were; vehicle collisions (41 per cent), being hit by moving objects (13 per cent) and falls from a height (11 per cent). 

The Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities Australia 2020 report is accessible here.

Safe Work Australia says the latest statistics should be considered in the broader context of the COVID-19 pandemic when comparing data over previous periods. 

The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this data is explored in its COVID-19 and Safe Work Australia data report.