A review of work-related fatal injuries in New Zealand 1975-84--numbers, rates and trends.

Deaths resulting from work-related injuries during 1975 to 1984 in New Zealand were identified and reviewed. Nine hundred and eighty-six members of the workforce (workers) were killed at work during this period. This excluded deaths resulting from traffic-related injuries on public roads which occurred during a person's work activity and injuries which occurred whilst travelling to or from work. The estimated average work-related fatal injury rate for New Zealand was 7.2/100,000 workers/year. Variations in fatal injury rate by year of injury, age, sex and race were observed. Occupation and industry fatality rates were also estimated and gross variations by occupation were found. Those occupations with the highest estimated rates included helicopter and agricultural pilots, demolition labourers, deer cullers and commercial deer shooters. These rates are likely to be biased to some degree. Occupations with the largest number of workers killed during this 10 year period were farmers (109), fishermen (79) and forestry workers (68).