WHS authorities across Australia undertook 230,054 workplace interventions, issued 46,472 notices for WHS breaches and finalised 289 legal proceedings between 2013-14 and 2016-17, resulting in $18.9 million in fines ordered by the courts, according to a recent Safe Work Australia report.

It also found that the total expenditure for workers’ compensation schemes across Australia was $8.457 billion in 2017-18.

The Comparative Performance Monitoring report 21st edition and Comparison of Workers’ Compensation Arrangements in Australia and New Zealand 2019 have been published.

Key findings from the 21st edition include:

• The incidence rate of serious workers’ compensation claims decreased by 10 per cent across Australia between 2013-14 and 2016-17, with falls recorded in most jurisdictions.
• WHS authorities across Australia:
  • undertook 230,054 workplace interventions;
  • issued 46,472 notices for WHS breaches, and
  • finalised 289 legal proceedings, resulting in $18.9 million in fines ordered by the courts.
• Total expenditure for workers’ compensation schemes across Australia was $8.457 billion in 2017-18, of which over 80 per cent went to claimants through either direct payments or services.
• Average workers’ compensation premium rates across Australia have decreased by 10 cent over the last five years.

Source: Safe Work Australia, 3 February 2020