28 workers killed in a month - 25.11.14

Safe Work Australia’s monthly notifiable fatalities report shows 28 Australian workers were killed while at work during the month of August this year.

This is the highest number of monthly recorded fatalities this year.

Of the 28 fatalities, 19 were male workers, 1 female worker, 5 male bystanders and 3 female bystanders. Of these fatalities, 7 workers and 7 bystanders died as a result of incidents in the air or on public roads.

Incidents involving vehicles accounted for 13 out of the 28 fatalities while 4 were due to being hit by falling objects. Three fatalities were due to being hit by moving objects other than vehicle and 2 were the result of being trapped in machinery. The remaining 6 fatalities were all different types of incidents, including a vehicle incident–air crash.

Transport, postal & warehousing workplaces accounted for 7 fatalities, 6 fatalities occurred in construction workplaces, 5 fatalities occurred in electricity, gas, water & waste services and 3 fatalities occurred in agriculture, forestry & fishing workplaces.

Manufacturing, arts & recreation services and administrative & support services workplaces each had 2 fatalities. The final fatality occurred in a public administration & safety services workplace.

The total number of workers killed while at work this year stands at 159 at the time of publication.

(Source: OHS News)