Fewer workplace deaths in 2011

An 80-year-old who drowned in sewage pond, a man crushed by a baler and a woman who died while taking water samples are some of the 41 workplace deaths in the country last year.

Statistics released from the Department of Labour show that while the number of work deaths was well down last year compared to 77 the previous year, the figure was still unacceptable, said deputy chief executive Lesley Haines.

"One death at work is too many and there is no excuse for people to be put in danger or at risk of serious injury or ill health while they're on the job," she said.

The Pike River tragedy, where 29 men lost their lives, contributed to a spike in workplace deaths in 2010, "so the figures released today should not be any suggestion for complacency when it comes to health and safety", said Ms Haines.

In Auckland, numbers increased to 11 workplace deaths last year, compared to eight the previous year.

More than a third of the national workplace fatalities reported to the department last year were in the agriculture sector which included, quad bike, machinery and tractor-related deaths and drownings.

"This illustrates just how important it is to improve safety on farms across the country - agriculture is an important sector to New Zealand, and farmers, their workers, and the industry cannot afford to ignore health and safety", said Ms Haines.

A three-year quad bike safety campaign was underway to help improve safety in agriculture, she said.

There were more than 6000 workplace incidents where people were seriously harmed last year - up 142 from the previous year.

Manufacturing and education/training were the industries with the highest number of reported incidents.

A plan to reduce accidents in the manufacturing industry is due to be released by the Department soon.

Employers, employees, unions, business groups and sector organisations all needed to take responsibility for creating safe and health workplaces, said Ms Haines".

The statistics do not include workplace deaths and injuries in the aviation, maritime or road transport sectors, as these are covered by the Civil Aviation Authority, Maritime New Zealand and the police.