Safe Work Australia has published a new snapshot exploring work health and safety outcomes for apprentices and trainees. 

The snapshot provides valuable insights about the types and causes of work-related injuries and diseases experienced by apprentices and trainees, particularly those working in the Construction and Manufacturing industries.

Download the WHS outcomes for apprentices and trainees snapshot.

Key findings

• From 2016-17 to 2020-21, the number of serious claims (involving total absence from work of one week or more) for apprentices and trainees rose by 41% despite the number of apprentices and trainees increasing only 13%.
   
• Together, the Construction, Manufacturing and Other services industries accounted for more than two-thirds of all serious workers’ compensation claims for apprentices and trainees. Half (49.9%) of these claims were for workers in the Construction industry alone.
   
• For apprentices and trainees under 30 in the Construction industry:
  • The most common type of work-related injury was Lacerations or open wounds not involving traumatic amputation.
     
  • The most common cause of work-related injury was Falls, trips and slips.
     
• For apprentices and trainees under 30 in the Manufacturing industry:
  • The most common type of work-related injury was Laceration or open wounds not involving traumatic amputation.
     
  • The most common cause of work-related injury was Being hit by moving objects.

This snapshot was developed based on data from the National Data Set for Compensation-based Statistics (NDS), which is Safe Work Australia’s primary source of information on work-related injuries and diseases. 

Find out more about Safe Work Australia’s data and analysis.