The workforce
This industry grouping covers a wide range of activities, separated into eight groups:
- Hospitals
- Medical services
- Pathology and diagnostic
- Imaging services
- Allied health services
- Other health care services
- Other social assistance services
- Child Care services
- Residential care services
16% of the total Tasmanian workforce, being the largest employer and provider of vital services
47% work full time
29% increase of hours-worked in the last three years
The injuries
1,615 injuries across the industry group in 2018
1 in 5 workers injured in Tasmania in 2018 worked in Health Care and Social Assistance
14.1 serious injuries per million hours worked — highest of all industries — 62% higher than the state average of 8.7
4% lower serious injury frequency rate in 2018 than ten years ago
The people
Personal carers and assistants accounted for 2 in 5 injured workers
Occupation groups with the highest percentage of serious injuries
- 41% Personal Carers and Assistants
- 13% Health and Welfare Support Workers
- 11% Midwifery and Nursing Professionals
55-64 year olds reported the highest serious injury frequency rate
54% of serious injuries in Health Care occur in Residential care services
The causes
The most common causes of injury across the industry
- Body stressing
- Falls, slips and trips
- Being hit by moving objects
- Mental stress
Action areas
Priority conditions and causes identified in the WorkSafe Strategic Plan 2018-2023 relevant to the industry:
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Hazardous manual tasks
- Slips, trips and falls
- Mental health conditions