Workplace deaths increase

WORKPLACE deaths have hit a three-year high and middle-aged men working in transport or trades have been identified as the most likely victims.

An analysis of workplace fatalities over the past decade has revealed 92 per cent involve men, with those aged 45 to 54 years old accounting for a quarter of cases.

In a rise that has triggered union calls for tougher fines and more inspections amid concerns the long-term decline of deaths is rising again, a total of 128 people had been killed yesterday so far this year compared to 119 at the same time last year.

In the latest case, a man, 70, was killed when he fell through a roof near Ipswich in Queensland on Monday.

The most dangerous areas to work were transport, postal and warehouses (41 deaths) followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing (27) and construction (18), according to Safe Work Australia preliminary data for the year starting December 22.

The most dangerous positions were machinery operators & drivers followed by technicians, trades workers and labourers while the safer roles were indoor jobs in healthcare and finance.

Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said he wanted to make the issue as prominent in the minds of people as the annual road toll.

"We need businesses that openly respect the delivery of bad news at work - employers who act on the bad news and work with their staff to find solutions," Mr Shorten said.

There were 220 deaths for each of the past two years but the surge this year will challenge the 289 deaths in 2008-09.

Queensland led the nation with 56 deaths last year followed by 54 in NSW, 40 in Victoria, 33 in Western Australia, 20 in South Australia and 10 in Tasmania.

Transport Workers Union national assistant secretary Michael Kaine said the new Safe Rates laws monitoring the trucking industry would help next year but that major retailers had to ease off pressuring drivers.

"The trucking industry has become sweat shops on wheels," he said.

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union national secretary Dave Noonan said state-based occupational health and safety authorities were biased toward employers and under-resourced.

"In a number of states the inspectors never issue fines and prosecutions don't happen," he said.