Workplace Health and Safety - Facts

Source: Department of Labour, Occupational Health and Safety Service November 2001

	New Zealand deaths as a result of workplace-related injuries		160
	New Zealand deaths as a result of workplace-related illness		400 (estimate)
	NZ serious workplace-related injuries (5 days off or more)		30,000
	NZ other workplace-related injuries		242,000
	Workdays lost		1.25 million days
	Total cost		3.18 billion dollars
	New Zealand - injury record (60 or more days compensation)		7.6 per 100,000 workers
	Australia		4.2 per 100,000 workers
	Deaths in New Zealand as a result of workplace injury		4.9 per 100,000 workers
	Australia		3.8 per 100,000 workers
Industries with the highest fatality rates		Commercial Fishing Mining Forestry
Top 3 workplace-releated injuries		Soft tissue injuries Lacerations Fractures & Dislocations
Top 3 workplace-related illnesses		Hearing loss Muscular/skeletal Trauma Diseases affecting the lungs
Enforcement of existing law
	Breaches identified by OSH		18,847
	Prosecutions taken		136
	Successful Prosecutions		118
Examples of other countries with laws on stress and fatigue		Australia, Sweden
Penalties
	"Likely to cause serious harm" (section 49)	$100,000 and/or 1 year $500,000 and/or 2 years
	Other offences (section 50) , if serious harm caused	$50,000 $250,000
	Other offences (section 50), in any other case	$25,000 $250,000
Range of fines actually imposed under the existing law		$1,000 -$40,000
Average fine imposed under the existing law		$6,200
Maximum fine under
	Commerce Act		$5,000,000
	Hazardous substances and New OrganismsAct		$500,000 or 3 months
	Resource Management Act		$1,500 - $200,000
Examples of maximum fines in other countries:
	UK Magistrates Courts		$62,000
	UK Crown Courts		no limit
	Australia - NSW		$600, 000 (first offence) $900,500 or 12 months jail (repeat offenders)
	Australia - Victoria and South Australia		$300,000
	Canada		$1.38M ( breach of the Canada Labour Code)