<p>The transport and storage industry has accounted for almost a quarter of all work-related deaths in Australia, the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) said in a report yesterday (Wednesday, April 30).</p> <p>The first report on deaths between 2004 and 2005 said that 249 people died as a result of work-related injuries, with 22% from the transport and storage industry.</p> <p>The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry accounted for the highest number of work-related deaths, making up 27% of the 249 deaths.</p> <p>Transport and mobile plant accidents caused 150 deaths.</p> <p>Trucks, semi-trailers and lorries were to blame for 58 deaths, while cars, station wagons, vans and utilities accounted for 43 deaths.</p> <p>In 2003, the ASCC, which was then the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, acknowledged that national data did not adequately catalogue work-related deaths in all industries as statistics were based on workers’ compensation data ,which related only to employees.</p> <p>To address this, a project was established which combined data from the Notified Fatalities Collection, the National Coronial Information Service and the National Data Set to better track work-related deaths.</p> <p>ASCC chairman Bill Scales said the report demonstrated the continuing commitment of the ASCC and compiled the most accurate and credible data on work-related injury fatalities.</p> <p>“One death in the workplace is one too many,” Mr Scales said.</p> <br />
