tasmania industry overview health care and social … · industry background the health care and...

WWW.WORKSAFE.TAS.GOV.AU

TASMANIA INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

WORK HEALTH AND SAFETYPERFORMANCE

2018

HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE

WWW.WORKSAFE.TAS.GOV.AU

INTRODUCTION

1

As part of the Strategic Plan 2018-2023, WorkSafe Tasmania has established a number of strategies to aid in fulfilling its promise to the Tasmanian community of ‘Safe and Well, Every Day’. These strategies include a focus on Targeted Harm Reduction and Building Culture and Capability. A component of both of these strategies is implementing new ways to engage with and educate the community on injury trends and areas of risk in order to work towards better health, safety and wellbeing outcomes.

The Industry Overview reports provide an account of the work health and safety (WHS) performance of each industry group across Tasmania. They aim to identify and focus on emerging or existing WHS issues, for evaluation and action. They compare most current WHS performance relative to previous years and, where applicable, to other industries across Tasmania.

INDUSTRY BACKGROUND

The Health Care and Social Assistance (HCSA) industry is key to Tasmania, being the largest employer and provider of vital services. There are an estimated 37,000 employees in this industry.

This industry includes Hospitals, Social Assistance services, Residential Care services, Child Care services, Pathology and Diagnostic Imaging. This industry is estimated to be worth over 3.6 billion annually to the Tasmanian economy.

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

65 years and over

55-64 years

45-54 years

35-44 years

25-34 years

15-24 years

Figure 1. Percentage of workforce by age groupEmployment Trends in Health Care and Social Assistance in Tasmania

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Social Assistance Services nfd

Other Health Care Services

Pathology and Diagnostic Imaging Services

Medical and Other Health Care Services nfd

Medical Services

Child Care Services

Allied Health Services

Residential Care Services

Other Social Assistance Services

Hospitals

Figure 2. Percentage of workforce by industry group

INDUSTRY PROFILEEmploymEnt HCSA accounts for 15% of total employment. It is the largest employing industry and has increased approximately 22% in the last three years on an hours-worked basis. This increase in hours-worked is almost five times the average increase for all other Tasmanian industries. This growth may moderate as forward estimates suggest restrained expenditure.

This industry has a lower proportion of full time workers (51%) compared to the state average (63%).

AgE profilE

Over half of workers (53%) in HCSA are over the age of 45 (see Figure 1). This industry has the second highest proportion of workers in this age category.

As a comparison, 43% of Tasmanian workers on average are aged over 45 years. This is significant for HCSA as many jobs require some physical capability.

industry group BrEAkdown

The majority of workers in HCSA are in the Hospitals (26%), Other Social Assistance (20%), Residential Care (19%), Allied Health Care (11%) and Child Care services (8%) groups. These five groups alone make up to 84% of the HCSA workforce.

There are ten active industry groups within HCSA (see Figure 2).

Employment trends at an industry group level show some movement in recent times. There has been an increase in Hospital, Other Social Assistance, Residential Care and Pathology hours and a decrease in hours in Medical Services in the 12 months to November 2018.

2 WHS Performance - HealtH care and Social aSSiStance

Health Care as a proportion of total Tasmanian Workforce

47%

Proportion of Health Care workforce employed full time

Employment increase in the last three years

15% 51% 22%

INJURY NUMBERS AND TRENDS

Health Care and Social Assistance (HCSA) reported the highest number of injuries over the last ten years. Injury numbers have increased 23% in the last ten years, whereas the statewide trend has been a decrease of 18% over the same period.

The serious injury frequency rate was highest of all industries at over 13.6 serious injuries per million hours worked in 2018.

There has been one work related fatality in HCSA in the last ten years.

INJURY NUMBERSThere were 1,615 injuries in Health Care and Social Assistance in 2018.This is 21% of the total injuries across the state and the highest number of any industry.

The number of injuries in HCSA has increased by 23% in last ten years (see Figure 3), while injuries in all industries reduced 18% between 2009 and 2018.

Around 45% of injuries result in one week or more off work, notably higher than the statewide average of around 37%.

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2009 2018

Figure 3. Total injuries per year

1,615injuries in

Health Care and Social Assistance

in 2018

1 in 5 workers injured in Tasmania in 2018

worked in Health Care and Social Assistance

13.6serious injuries

per million hours worked

SERIOUS INJURIESA serious injury is one that results in the worker requiring at least one week off work due to their injury.

On average there have been 621 serious injuries per year per year over the last ten years (45% of all HCSA injuries).

HCSA reported the highest number of serious injuries in 2018 among all industries (26% of all serious injuries).

Serious injuries increased 27% between 2009 and 2018 while serious injuries for all industries decreased 12% in this period.

sErious injury frEquEncy rAtEs

Frequency rates are calculated as the number of injuries per million hours worked. This gives context to the injury numbers by taking into account the size of an industry’s workforce, and the part time/full time mix of the industry.

The serious injury frequency rate in HCSA is highest among all industry divisions, estimated at approximately 13.6 serious injuries per million hours worked (see Figure 4 over page).

WHS Performance - HealtH care and Social aSSiStance 3

trEnds in sErious injury frEquEncy rAtEs ovEr 10 yEArs

Using a three year rolling average frequency rate balances the variations in injury numbers and workforce year to year.

HCSA’s industry serious injury frequency rate has decreased in the last ten years, approximately 4% on a three year rolling average basis from 14.7 to 14.1 serious injuries per million hours worked.

The serious injury frequency rate for all industries in Tasmania reduced considerably more over this period, decreasing approximately 18.5% (from 10.3 to 8.7 serious injuries per million hours worked).

On a non-rolling (actual) basis, the serious injury frequency rate for HCSA has declined 6% between 2009 and 2018 from 14.5 to 13.6 serious injuries per million hours worked. The all industry serious injury frequency rate declined 14% from 9.8 to 8.4 serious injuries per million hours worked for this same period.

FATALITIESThere has been one work related fatality in HCSA in the last ten years. Statewide, there have been 87 work related fatalities in the last ten years (2009-2018).


Last 3 Years

Expected Next 3 Years

0 3 6 9 12 15

Rental, Hiring and Real Estate ServicesProfessional, Scientific and Technical Services

Financial and Insurance ServicesInformation Media and Telecommunications

MiningElectricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services

Other ServicesRetail Trade

Arts and Recreation ServicesEducation and Training

Accommodation and Food ServicesConstruction

Wholesale TradeAgriculture, Forestry and Fishing

Transport, Postal and WarehousingManufacturing

Administrative and Support ServicesPublic Administration and Safety

Health Care and Social Assistance

Figure 4. Serious injury frequency rate by industry 2018

Expected Next 3 Years

0

4

8

12

16

20

All IndustriesHealth Care and Social Assistance

20182009

Figure 5. Three year rolling average serious injury frequency rate 2007-2017

18%

4%

The serious injury frequency rate in Health Care and Social Assistance has decreased 4%

in the last ten years compared to 18% decrease

statewide

AGE GROUP ANALYSISWorkers aged 55-64 in HCSA had the highest serious injury frequency rate with almost 16.2 serious injuries per million hours worked. This was followed by workers in the 35-44 year age group with a serious injury frequency rate of 15.8 injuries per million hours worked. In general the serious injury frequency rate increases for age groups above 35 years except for the 65 years and over age bracket (see Figure 6 below).

INJURED WORKER DEMOGRAPHICS

HCSA workers aged in the 55-64 age group had the highest serious injury frequency rate of all age groups, although variance in frequency rate between the three highest age groups is minimal.

Personal Carers and Assistants make up the largest proportion of injured workers, at 41% of the total.

Residential Care Services workers make up 54% of all injuries and have the highest serious injury frequency rate at 44 serious injuries per million hours worked.

0 5 10 15 20

65 years and over

55-64 years

45-54 years

35-44 years

25-34 years

15-24 years

Figure 6. Serious injury frequency rate by age group

54% of serious injuries occur in Residential Care Services

41% 13% 11%

Personal Carers and Assistants

Health and Welfare Support Workers

Midwifery & Nursing Professionals


OCCUPATION ANALYSISPersonal Carers and Assistants accounted for the largest proportion of workers with serious injuries at 41%. This proportion is three times higher than the next occupation group of Health and Welfare Support

18.0

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

0 10 20 30 40 50

Medical Services

Allied Health Services

Pathology and Diagnostic Imaging Services

Other Social Assistance Services

Other Health Care Services

Child Care Services

Hospitals

Residential Care Services

Figure 7. Serious injury frequency rate per industry group

Personal Carers and Assistants accounted

for 2 in 5 injured workers

Workers with 13% of serious injuries in the last ten years. Midwifery and Nursing professionals were the occupation group with the next largest proportion of serious injuries at 11%, followed by Food Preparation Assistants (5%).

INDUSTRY GROUP ANALYSISWhile Hospitals as a group has the largest number of workers (over 9,500 or 26% of all HCSA workers), Residential Care services workers accounted for over half (54%) of all serious injuries in HCSA in the last ten years.

This was followed by Hospitals at 28% of the total and Other Social Assistance services at 8%.

The serious injury frequency rate for Residential Care services workers is 3.3 times the rate of Hospital workers, at an estimated 44 serious injuries per million hours worked. Hospitals in comparison reported 13 serious injuries per million hours worked (see Figure 7 below).

HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCEINDUSTRY SNAPSHOT 2018

THE WORKFORCE

THE INJURIES

THE PEOPLE

THE CAUSES ACTION AREAS

Published August 2019DISCLAIMER: The information provided herein was believed correct at the time of publication. The information is made available for general information only and should not be taken as a substitute for professional advice.

For more information contactPhone: 1300 366 322 (within Tasmania) (03) 6166 4600 (outside Tasmania)Fax: (03) 6173 0206Email: [email protected]: www.worksafe.tas.gov.au

1• Hospitals• Medical Services• Pathology and Diagnostic Imaging Services

• Allied Health Services• Other Health Care Services• Residential Care Services

• Other Social Assistance Services• Child Care Services

4% lower serious injury frequency rate in 2018 than ten years ago

Priority conditions and causes identified in the WorkSafe Strategic Plan 2018-2023 relevant to the industry

This industry grouping covers a wide range of activities, separated into eight groups

22% increase in hours worked in the last three years

51% of workers are employed full time

of the total Tasmanian workforce

55-64 year oldsreported the highest serious injury

frequency rate

Mental health conditions

1,615injuries across theindustry in 2018

14.1 serious injuries per million hours worked

62% higher than thestate average of8.7

H I G H E S T O F A L L I N D U S T R I E S

Hazardous manual tasks

Slips, trips and fallsMusculoskeletal disorders

The most common causes of injury across the industry

Body stressing Falls, slips and trips Mental stressBeing hit by moving objects

1 in 5 workers injured in Tasmania in 2018

worked in Health Care and Social Assistance

54% of serious injuries occur in Residential Care Services

15%

Personal Carers and Assistants accounted

for 2 in 5 injured workers 41% 13% 11%

Personal Carersand Assistants

Health and Welfare Support Workers

Midwifery andNursing Professionals

THE LARGEST EMPLOYING INDUSTRY IN THE STATE

The most common cause of serious injury in Health Care and Social Assistance (HCSA) is Body stressing, including Muscular stress while handling objects without lifting, carrying or putting down objects, and incidents involving Muscular stress while lifting, carrying or putting down objects. This is followed by Falls, trips and slips of a person, Being hit by moving objects (including assaults) and Mental stress.

Body stressing and Mental stress have increased as a proportion of serious injuries in recent years. Being hit by moving objects and Falls, trips and slips of a person have reduced as a proportion of serious injuries over the same period.

MOST COMMON CAUSES OF INJURY At the broadest level, Body stressing is the most common injury cause, resulting in 41% of all injuries in HCSA over the last ten years.

Being hit by moving objects and Falls, trips and slips were the next two most common causes of injuries recording 17% and 16% of injuries respectively between 2009 and 2018.

At a serious injury mechanism class level, Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying, or putting down was the main cause of serious injuries (23%), followed by Muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects (15%).

Falls on the same level was the next most common injury cause, resulting in 13% of all serious injuries in HCSA.

These top three injury causes account for just over half of all serious injuries in this industry (51%).

INJURY CAUSES

TRENDS IN INJURY CAUSEIn 2018, Body stressing accounted for 46% of serious injuries in HCSA, twice as high as the next most common cause of serious injuries; Mental stress at 20%.

The next most common causes of serious injury were Being hit by moving objects and Falls, trips and slips injuries.

Mental stress serious injuries have increased the most in percentage terms between 2014 and 2018 (8%).

Vehicle incidents have reduced approximately 10% from 2015 highs (see Figure 8).


Figure 8. Trends in Percentage of injuries represented by the most common injury causes 2014 - 2018

0102030405060708090

100

Vehicle incidents and otherFalls, trips and slips of a personBeing hit by moving objectsMental stressBody stressing

Falls, slips and trips of a person was the second most common cause of injury

of injuries in the last ten years were caused by Body stressing

41%


TRENDS IN THE MOST COMMON INJURY CAUSESBody strEssing

The most common serious Body stressing injury is Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying or putting down (47% of all Body stressing injuries in 2018).

In recent years, Muscular stress with no objects being handled has increased as a proportion of all Body stressing injuries, from 11% of serious Body stressing injuries in 2014 to 15% in 2018.

Repetitive movement, low muscle loading serious Body stressing injuries have continued to decrease from 2015 highs.

fAlls, trips And slips of A pErson

Falls on the same level contributes the major portion to Falls, trips and slips of a person serious injuries in HCSA. 83% of injuries in this mechanism can be attributed to Falls on the same level in 2018.

mEntAl strEss

Work related harassment and/or workplace bullying and Work pressure are the two most common Mental stress serious injuries, together totaling 65% in 2018. Exposure to a traumatic event serious injuries have in contrast, decreased slightly in recent years.

BEing hit By moving oBjEcts

Being assaulted by a person or persons is the most common Being hit by moving objects serious injury for HCSA in 2018 (51% of all serious Being hit by moving objects injuries). This injury class has increased progressively over the past three years.

Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting is the most common type of Body stressing injury

Injuries resulting from Being assaulted by a person or persons have increased in recent years

83% of Falls, trips and slips of a person are Falls on the same level

Work related bullying/harassmentand Work pressure are the most common causes of Mental stress injury

MOST COMMON INJURY CAUSES BY INDUSTRY GROUP


MOST COMMON INJURY CAUSES BY INDUSTRY GROUPAt an industry group level, injury causes are somewhat consistent with either Falls on same level or Muscular stress while lifting, carrying or putting down objects the most common cause in most industry groups.

The top causes of injury are indicated for each industry group in the graphic below.

rEsidEntiAl cArE sErvicEs

• Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying, or putting down 28%• Muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects 13%• Falls on the same level 12%

hospitAls

• Muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects 21%• Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying, or putting down 19%• Falls on the same level 12%

othEr sociAl AssistAncE sErvicEs

• Falls on the same level 16%• Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying or putting down 16%• Muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects 10%• Work pressure 8%

child cArE sErvicEs

• Falls on the same level 28%• Muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects 23%• Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying, or putting down 8%• Work pressure 8%


othEr hEAlth cArE sErvicEs

• Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying, or putting down 24%• Muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects 12%• Falls on the same level 11%

AlliEd hEAlth sErvicEs

• Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying, or putting down 19%• Falls on the same level 16%• Muscular stress with no objects being handled 11%

mEdicAl sErvicEs

• Work related harassment and/or workplace bullying 14%• Muscular stress with no objects being handled 13%• Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying, or putting down 12%

pAthology And diAgnostic imAging sErvicEs

• Muscular stress while handling objects other than lifting, carrying, or putting down 25%• Falls on the same level 16%• Work pressure 12%

ACTION AREAS

As part of the Strategic Plan 2018-2023, WorkSafe Tasmania will be working to reduce harm in Tasmanian workplaces through targeted harm reduction programs. This includes targeting priority industries and high consequence activities, and focusing on priority conditions and their causes.

As one of the identified priority industries, Health Care and Social Assistance workplaces should expected increased engagement with WorkSafe Tasmania through a range of avenues.

PRIORITY AREAS AND PLANNED ACTIVITIESThrough the development of a Compliance Plan to inform inspectorate priorities, a number of awareness campaigns and a variety of other engagement activities, WorkSafe Tasmania will be targeting the following priority conditions and causes of injury identified in the Strategic Plan 2018-2023.


hAzArdous mAnuAl tAsks

slips, trips And fAlls

sAfE movEmEnt of vEhiclEs And plAnt

mEntAl hEAlth conditions

musculoskElEtAl disordErs

AsBEstos rElAtEd disEAsEs

Prepared by: WorkSafe Tasmania

Further information regarding this report can be obtained from:

WorkSafe Tasmania Telephone 1300 366 322

This report may also be available on the WorkCover website at www.workcover.tas.gov.au. Extracts from this report may be reproduced without permission, provided care is taken to ensure information is not presented in a way which takes it out of context and the full report is acknowledged.

DisclaimerThe information provided herein was believed correct at the time of publication. The information is made available for general information only and should not be taken as a substitute for professional advice. The WorkCover Tasmania Board and its officers, WorkSafe Tasmania and its employees and agents shall not be liable for any loss or damage however so caused whether due to negligence or otherwise arising from the use of information obtained from this publication.

Purpose and Scope of WorkThis purpose of this report is to provide an account of the work health and safety performance of Health Care and Social Assistance in Tasmania. The aim is to identify and focus on emerging or existing WHS issues, for evaluation and action. It compares most current Health Care and Social Assistance WHS performance relative to previous years, and where applicable, to other industries in Tasmania.

DataThe data used in the preparation of this report comes from the WorkSafe Tasmania Information Management System (WIMS). While every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of this report, all data is provided by Licensed and Self Insurers and the Tasmanian State Service. WorkSafe Tasmania cannot ensure the accuracy of the data.

Denominator data is from Safe Work Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Supporting statistics include sources like the Department of Treasury and Finance Tasmania.

WIMS data used in this report was current to February 2019. The latest Safe Work Australia data was at end 2017. ABS data, where applicable, is the most recent available from its website.

This report provides data on a calendar year basis unless otherwise stated.

For more information contact Phone: 1300 366 322 (within Tasmania) (03) 6166 4600 (outside Tasmania)Fax: (03) 6173 0206 Email: [email protected]

Published August 2019

tasmania industry overview health care and social … · industry background the health care and...

Documents