Rotorua and Bay region third lowest for workplace injury claims

Rotorua was among the safest working areas in the country. Photo/FILE

Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty had the third fewest work-related injury claims per capita in the country, according to government figures on workplace injuries.

The latest Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) figures show the Bay was behind only Auckland and Wellington with the lowest injury claim rates.

However, 14,400 Bay workers hurt themselves in 2015, the most since 2011. Men made 10,100 injury claims and women made 4300.

This was a rate of 116 injuries per 1000 fulltime equivalent employees, or an average of one claim for every nine workers. However, one person can make more than one claim.

Government work safety body WorkSafe received notification of 213 serious harm incidents in the Bay in 2015. This was 41 fewer than in 2014, and half of the total from 2011.

Despite falling numbers of serious injuries, WorkSafe was notified of nine fatalities in the Bay in the 11 months to November 2016, the highest annual total since at least 2011.

Two of these were in Rotorua, and five in Tauranga and the Western Bay.

Nationwide, ACC received 230,200 claims for a work-related injury in 2015, with 31,000 of these classed as more serious claims. The overall incidence rate was 110 per thousand FTE employees.

Workers aged 15-24 and over 65 had the highest rate of injury claims.

Manufacturing, construction and agriculture had the highest number of serious harm incidents in 2015, according to WorkSafe notifications.

The agriculture industry has had the highest number of workplace fatalities in every year since 2011, including 15 last year, up to November 25.

WorkSafe spokesman Brett Murray said standards and habits can slip over the summer break, so people should take time to refamiliarise themselves with workplace risks.

"Summer does create some new or add additional risks, especially those who are working long days as dehydration and fatigue can lead to potentially fatal accidents," said Mr Murray.

"I encourage each workplace in New Zealand to start the year by discussing health and safety and taking positive steps, such as discussing workplace risks with teams, checking personal protective equipment, including hearing protection, safety glasses or face shields.

"While the downward trend is encouraging, the number of people being seriously injured at work is still too high."