WorkSafe was established to accomplish a specific objective – newly released data reveals whether the organisation is on track.
WorkSafe has released details around the number of workplace fatalities to have occurred during the past five years.
The agriculture sector recorded the highest number of workplace fatalities, with an even 100.
Since 2010, the total number of workplace fatalities across all sectors has been 293.
WorkSafe was established by the Government following the reports of the independent taskforce and the Royal Commission into the Pike River Tragedy in 2010, with the intention of reducing New Zealand’s workplace death toll by 25% before 2020.
There were a total of 15 work-related fatalities in 2015 (to date).
Last week, Government ministers toyed with the concept of introducing a corporate manslaughter legislation into the Health and Safety Reform Bill, another of the Government’s methods of reducing the number of deaths in Kiwi workplaces.
As it stands, the Bill includes sanctions which will allow corporations or individuals who are found liable for preventable workplace deaths to be fined up to $600,000 or receive a prison sentence of up to five years.
The table below shows the recorded number of deaths in the sectors with the highest fatality rates.
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The agriculture sector recorded the highest number of workplace fatalities, with an even 100.
Since 2010, the total number of workplace fatalities across all sectors has been 293.
WorkSafe was established by the Government following the reports of the independent taskforce and the Royal Commission into the Pike River Tragedy in 2010, with the intention of reducing New Zealand’s workplace death toll by 25% before 2020.
There were a total of 15 work-related fatalities in 2015 (to date).
Last week, Government ministers toyed with the concept of introducing a corporate manslaughter legislation into the Health and Safety Reform Bill, another of the Government’s methods of reducing the number of deaths in Kiwi workplaces.
As it stands, the Bill includes sanctions which will allow corporations or individuals who are found liable for preventable workplace deaths to be fined up to $600,000 or receive a prison sentence of up to five years.
The table below shows the recorded number of deaths in the sectors with the highest fatality rates.
| Agriculture | 19 | 16 | 15 | 22 | 21 | 7 | 100 |
| Mining | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33 |
| Construction | 7 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 32 |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 8 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 28 |
| Forestry | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 25 |
| Transport, Postal and Warehousing | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 24 |
| Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Manufacturing | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
Related articles
Debate developing over ‘corporate manslaughter’ legislation
Health and Safety Reform Bill hits hurdle
WorkSafe chief: cultural change needed to reach accident reduction targets
