Tradies National Health Month: addressing injuries for our workers

August is Tradies National Health Month, a movement run by the Australian Physiotherapy Association that emphasises the importance of tradies' health and wellbeing. The physical demands of trades work often lead to injuries, making this month an opportune time to highlight preventative measures and promote wellbeing within the industry.

Tradies, including electricians, plumbers, builders and other skilled workers, often work in high-risk environments where they are exposed to a higher-than-average risk of injury.

Alarmingly, over 90% of tradies experienced work-related injuries or pain in the past year, with 90% of these injuries caused or worsened by work, according to a survey conducted by the Australian Physiotherapy Association. 92% of respondents to the survey had pain, injury or niggle in three different body parts over the previous year. The main complaints are pain, injury or niggles to knees, back, shoulders, wrist/hands, feet/ankles, neck and hips.

Physical injuries in Queensland tradies

The Queensland Workers' Compensation Scheme Statistics for 2022-2023 include some concerning figures for tradies within Queensland. Manufacturing had the highest statutory claim rate in the scheme, with 69.2 claim lodgements per 1000 people employed in the industry. Meanwhile, the construction and transport industries had 42.8 and 35.2 claim lodgements per 1,000 people respectively.

SafeWork Australia provides a breakdown of work-related injuries and illnesses that are classified as a “serious claim.” A serious claim includes all accepted workers’ compensation claims for an incapacity that results in a total absence from work of one working week or more.

The SafeWork report highlights that 33% of all serious injury claims were musculoskeletal issues, generally caused by manual handling tasks such as lifting, bending, and carrying heavy materials.

Unsurprisingly, 22% of all claims resulted from falls, trips and slips. The risk of falling is ever-present for many tradies, whether working on scaffolding, ladders, or roofs. These incidents often result in severe injuries, including fractures, head trauma and even fatalities.

A further 15% of all tradie-related claims in Queensland were as a result of being hit by moving objects. Employers and workers alike need to remain alert as to the ever-present risk of being hit by a moving object.

Sadly, vehicle incidents and being hit by moving objects resulted in 107 fatalities in 2022 and accounted for more than half of all worker fatalities in 2022.  Machinery operators (74), labourers (34), technicians and trades (28) had the highest fatalities by occupation in 2022.

Preventative measures must come first

There are several preventive measures tradies, and employers can implement to prevent and reduce the number of injuries tradies suffer in the workplace:

1. Invest and engage in proper training and certification.
2. Wear and use personal protective equipment (PPE).
3. Practice safe manual handling techniques.
4. Regularly review equipment and undertake maintenance.
5. Implement safety protocols.
6. Maintain a clean worksite.
7. Undergo regular health checks.

What to do if you have suffered an injury at work

Read: 5 steps to take if you're injured in a work accident

If you are a tradie who has suffered an injury at work, it’s essential to make sure you have reported your injury to your employer. Notify your employer of the injury as soon as possible and in writing. Then, obtain a medical certificate from your General Practitioner and file a worker’s compensation claim through WorkCover Queensland.

Employers will often direct an injured employee to see a “company doctor”. However, you should always see your own doctor for a number of reasons.

We're here to help

You may be entitled to compensation if you or a family member can’t work due to an injury or illness.

Contact us to talk to one of our experienced, caring lawyers about your rights and entitlements, or use our free claim check tool to find out if you’re eligible.