The distribution of occupational injury risks in the Victorian construction industry

Based on a merger of workers' compensation data from the public fund Victorian Workcover Authority for the period 1996–1998 and denominator data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 1996 Census, the relative distribution of occupational injury risk in the Victorian construction industry has been calculated. A four-part injury severity index, generated by the claims settling process, has been used to differentiate occupations, tasks and activities in terms of priorities for intervention and prevention. Falls from height represents the major severe injury problem in the Victorian construction industry. However, the fall risk problem is associated with different equipment and different tasks among the different occupational groups in the construction process and requires a variety of architectural, engineering and design solutions.

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