Mining in the Western Australian Workers' Compensation System · Coal mining Exploration and other...

Mining in the Western Australian

Workers' Compensation System

June 2017

(Reissue)

WorkCover WA is the government agency responsible

for overseeing the WA workers' compensation and injury

management system. WorkCover WA undertakes a

range of educational, advisory, enforcement and

performance monitoring activities to ensure the WA

workers' compensation scheme is fair, accessible and

cost-effective for all participants.

@WorkCoverWA

(08) 9388 5555

[email protected]

workcover.wa.gov.au

© WorkCover WA, Government of Western Australia

Industry Statistical Report:

Mining

2012/13 to 2015/16

Published June 2017 (Reissue)

Due to an inaccuracy with the nationally supplied

data, the number of hours worked for 2014/15 has

been revised. This revised report addresses this issue

and therefore, the frequency rates for 2014/15 have

been updated.

Data was extracted on 27 March 2017

WorkCover WA

Legislation and Scheme Information

Business Intelligence Services

2 Bedbrook Place

Shenton Park WA 6008

There is no objection to this publication being copied

in whole or part, provided there is due

acknowledgment of any material quoted from the

publication.

Industry Statistical Report 2 / 24 Mining | June 2017

http://www.workcover.wa.gov.au/

http://www.workcover.wa.gov.au/

Mining at a glance …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4

Claim numbers

Claims by lost-time …………………………………………...………………………………………………………………………………………5

Frequency rate ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5

Claims by days lost group ……………………………………………...……………………………………………………………..6

Claim payments

Direct compensation payments …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7

Service payments …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7

Claim costs

Total claim costs ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...9

Proportion by days lost …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9

Average claim costs …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9

Claims by industry subdivision

Claim numbers by lost-time …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

Lost-time claims and frequency rate ………………………………………………………………………………………...11

Return to work status ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12

Claimant characteristics

Gender ………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………...13

Age group ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14

Occupation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15

Injury/disease attributes

Nature of injury/disease …………………………………………………………………………………………………….16

Bodily location of injury/disease ……………………………………………………………………………………….17

Mechanism of incident ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..18

Agency of injury/disease …………………………………………………………………………………………………...19

Glossary …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………..20

Disclaimer ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...24

Table of Contents


Mining at a glance

The Mining industry is classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial

Classification 2006 provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

This industry includes coal mining, oil and gas extraction, metal ore mining, non-metallic mineral mining

and quarrying, and exploration and other mining support services.

Mining

Labour force 2014/15

employees

millionhours worked

Claims 2015/16

workers' compensation claims

lodged

of claims involved at least

one day/shift off work

Days lost 2015/16

Frequency rate 2014/15

lost-time claims per

million hours worked

Average claim cost 2015/16 Claim payments 2015/16

was paid

Payment type 2015/16 The most common injury 2015/16 Bodily location of injury 2015/16

🚧62%

38%

⏰$63,966

$45,886

Mining Scheme average

💵$106.9

$127.9 $126.3 $121.6

Traumatic joint/ligament &

muscle/tendon injury

Head Neck

Upper limbs

Trunk

Lower limbs

Other locations

60+ days lost

Lower than the

Scheme average of

Service

payments

Direct

compensation

26%

74%

2,627

$63,9665.1

60%

7.9

107,095

245

48%

$121.6m

1-59 days lost

Labour force 2015/16 Claims 2015/16 Days lost 2015/16

Frequency rate 2015/16 Average claim cost 2015/16 Claim payments 2015/16

Payment type 2015/16 The most common injury 2015/16 Bodily location 2015/16

4%3%

38%20%

28%

7%


Claim numbers number of claims lodged by lost-time

Frequency rate lost-time claims per million hours worked

`

2,050 1,866 1,521 1,366

1,564 1,503

1,222 1,261

3,614 3,369

2,743 2,627

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

All claims

Total claims in the Mining

industry decreased by

27%.

Lost-time claims

There has been a drop in

the lost-time claims in

Mining by 19%.

No lost-time claims

Claims with no time off

work averaged 1,701

claims per year between

2012/13 to 2015/16.

Workers' Compensation in Western Australia - Industry Statistical Information 2012/13 to 2015/16

Mining

6.0 6.0 5.5

5.1

3.9 3.7 3.5 3.2

2.1 2.3 2.0 1.9

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

1-59 days

60+ days

All lost-time claims

Frequency rate indicates

the prevalence of workers'

compensation lost-time

claims by measuring the

number of claims per million

hours worked. The number

of hours worked by

employed persons is

supplied by the Australian

Bureau of Statistics.

For claims lodged in 2015/16, the Mining industry's

frequency rate remained stable at 5.1 lost-time claims per

million hours worked, lower than the scheme average of 7.9.


Lost-time claims proportions by days lost group

Claim numbers number of claims lodged by days lost

DAYS LOST 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

0 days 2,050 1,866 1,521 1,366 ▼

1 - 4 days 183 131 109 138 ▼

5 - 19 days 422 396 330 340 ▼

20 - 59 days 410 395 340 309 ▼

60 - 119 days 191 213 164 175 ▼

120 - 179 days 91 99 85 105 ▲

180+ days 267 269 194 194 ▼

All claims 3,614 3,369 2,743 2,627 ▼

65%

61%

64%

62%

35%

39%

36%

38%

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

1-59 days 60+days


Mining

Increasing Stable Decreasing

Mining accounts for 8% of total claims lodged in

2015/16 in the workers' compensation scheme of WA.


Total claim payments proportions by payment group

Direct compensation payments proportions by payment type

Service payments proportions by payment type

73%

66%

60%

61%

27%

34%

40%

39%

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

54%

50%

43%

45%

14%

14%

12%

12%

7%

8%

8%

7%

24%

29%

37%

36%

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

Income payments

as a proportion of direct

compensation payments

decreased from 73% to 61%

over four years.

Lump sums

as a proportion of direct

compensation payments, in

turn, increased from 27% to

39%.


Mining

Direct compensation

payments made directly to

the worker (either by income

replacement or lump sums)

Service payments

includes medical & hospital,

allied health, workplace

rehabilitation and legal &

miscellaneous payments.

💵

h

69% 71% 73% 74%

31% 29% 27% 26%

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

💸

💰

Workplace rehabilitation

Allied health

Medical & hospital

💉

Legal & miscellaneous


Claim payments ($million adjusted)

$MILLION 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

Income payments $53.6 $60.3 $54.9 $54.6 ■

Lump sums $19.7 $30.6 $37.2 $35.5 ▲

Medical & hospital $18.2 $18.3 $14.7 $14.2 ▼

Allied health $4.9 $5.1 $4.0 $3.8 ▼

Workplace rehabilitation $2.4 $2.8 $2.8 $2.2 ▼

Legal & miscellaneous $8.1 $10.8 $12.6 $11.3 ▲

Total claim payments $106.9 $127.9 $126.3 $121.6 ▲

Total claim payments ($million adjusted) by payment group

DIRECT COMPENSATION

SERVICE PAYMENTS


$33.5 $37.0 $34.1 $31.4

$73.3

$90.9 $92.2 $90.2

$106.9

$127.9 $126.3 $121.6

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

Direct compensation

payments increased from $73.3

million in 2012/13 to $90.2

million in 2015/16.

Service payments

decreased from $33.5 million in

2012/13 and stands at $31.4

million in 2015/16.


Mining

💵

h

💸

Total claim payments

are adjusted to allow

meaningful comparisons

over time.

Payments for claims in the Mining industry in 2015/16 totalled

$121.6 million, accounting for 13% of total scheme payments.


Claim costs* total claim costs by days lost

$MILLION 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

1-59 days lost $21.0 $16.8 $15.4 $13.6 ▼

60+ days lost $96.8 $104.7 $71.2 $67.1 ▼

Lost-time claims $117.7 $121.6 $86.6 $80.7 ▼

Claim costs* proportions of claim costs by days lost

Claim costs* average claim costs by days lost

$MILLION 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

1-59 days lost $20,656 $18,268 $19,712 $17,224 ▼

60+ days lost $176,241 $180,268 $160,820 $141,573 ▼

Lost-time claims $75,270 $80,891 $70,867 $63,966 ▼




Mining

Data is subject to revision

as claims experience

mature, especially the

most recent year.

*

The average claim cost in Mining was $63,966 in

2015/16, compared with the scheme average of $45,886.

18% 14% 18% 17%

82% 86% 82% 83%

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

60+ days lost

1-59 days lost


Claim numbers by lost-time per industry subdivision

Coal mining Exploration and other mining support services

Metal ore mining Non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying

Oil and gas extraction


Mining

35 22 24 36

58 56 41

35

93 78

65 71

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

Lost-time No lost-time All claims

730 646 392 478

898 728

486 443

1,628

1,374

878 921

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16


685 753 698 640

962 937 863

771

1,647 1,690 1,561

1,411

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16


60 53 72 76

85 67

89 74

145 120

161 150

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16


54 29 36 31

47 78

42 43

101 107

78 74

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16



Lost-time claims and frequency rate by industry subdivision

SUBDIVISION 2012/13 2012/13 2012/13 2012/13

Average

frequency

rate*

Coal mining 35 22 24 36 47.7

1-59 days lost 29 17 14 23 33.8

60+ days lost 6 5 10 13 13.9

Exploration and other mining support services 730 646 392 478 9.4

1-59 days lost 479 387 247 290 5.9

60+ days lost 251 259 145 188 3.5

Metal ore mining 685 753 698 640 5.5

1-59 days lost 435 468 445 404 3.5

60+ days lost 250 285 253 236 2.0

Non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying 60 53 72 76 6.6

1-59 days lost 44 32 58 48 4.6

60+ days lost 16 21 14 28 2.0

Oil and gas extraction 54 29 36 31 0.8

1-59 days lost 28 18 15 22 0.4

60+ days lost 26 11 21 9 0.3

Total Mining 1,564 1,503 1,222 1,261 5.7


Mining

* Frequency rate is the average over four years (2012/13 to 2015/16).


Return to work status lost-time claims

PROPORTION 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

Returned to work 75% 85% 89% 88% ▲

Not working 23% 14% 10% 11% ▼

Unknown 2% 1% 1% 0% ▼


Mining


Over four years, the proportion of claimants in the Mining

industry successfully returning to work (either at full

or partial hours) improved.

For 2015/16, the return to work rate for the Mining

industry was 88%, higher than the overall scheme at 86%.

💼

💼


Lost-time claims gender by days lost group

GENDER 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

MALES 1,395 1,382 1,106 1,143 ▼

1-59 days lost 913 855 709 724 ▼

60+ days lost 482 527 397 419 ▼

FEMALES 169 121 116 118 ▼

1-59 days lost 102 67 70 63 ▼

60+ days lost 67 54 46 55 ▼

Lost-time claims 1,564 1,503 1,222 1,261 ▼

Frequency rate by gender



Mining

4.2

3.1 3.3 3.2

6.3 6.6

6.0 5.5

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

Males

Females

Between 2012/13 and 2015/16, 91% of claims were lodged by

males in the Mining industry, compared to 67% overall scheme. ⚤


Lost-time claims by age group

AGE GROUP 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

15-19 years 32 14 10 7 ▼

20-24 years 146 111 85 69 ▼

25-34 years 454 421 326 363 ▼

35-44 years 416 397 318 324 ▼

45-54 years 347 359 319 315 ▼

55-59 years 101 129 99 112 ▲

60-64 years 56 58 49 54 ■

65+ years 12 14 16 17 ▲

Frequency rate by age group

AGE GROUP 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

15-19 years 8.8 30.2 8.1 5.0 ▼

20-24 years 7.3 4.9 6.2 4.0 ▼

25-34 years 5.2 5.8 4.9 5.1 ■

35-44 years 6.0 5.5 5.1 4.5 ▼

45-54 years 6.8 6.5 6.3 5.7 ▼

55-59 years 4.9 8.5 6.0 7.2 ▲

60-64 years 6.2 6.9 6.0 4.9 ▼

65+ years 5.0 5.3 8.3 7.1 ▲




Mining


Lost-time claims by occupation

OCCUPATION 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

Machinery operators & drivers 668 702 575 554 ▼

Technicians & trades workers 525 485 380 426 ▼

Labourers 286 227 196 217 ▼

Professionals 43 48 39 30 ▼

Clerical & administrative workers 24 27 16 19 ▼

Managers 5 9 9 9 ▲

Community & personal service workers 12 5 5 6 ▼

Sales workers 1 0 2 0 ▼

Lost-time claims proportions by occupation 2015/16


44%

34%

17%

2%

2%

1%

0.5%

0%

Machinery operators & drivers

Technicians & trades workers

Labourers

Professionals

Clerical & administrative workers

Managers

Community & personal service workers

Sales workers


Mining


Lost-time claims by nature of injury/disease

NATURE 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

Traumatic joint/ligament & muscle/tendon injury 962 986 768 762 ▼

Wounds, lacerations, amputations & internal organ damage 205 176 159 180 ▼

Fractures 196 170 136 159 ▼

Musculoskeletal & connective tissue diseases 57 45 46 49 ▼

Other injuries 37 38 26 34 ▼

Digestive system diseases 36 26 26 25 ▼

Burn 25 16 17 19 ▼

Mental diseases 18 15 14 13 ▼

Intracranial injuries 4 5 8 8 ▲

Nervous system & sense organ diseases 11 14 15 4 ▼

Other diseases 13 12 7 8 ▼



Mining

Sprains and strains (traumatic

joint/ligament and muscle/tendon injury)

continues to be the leading type of

injury for claims lodged in the Mining

industry, and the overall scheme.

💪


Lost-time claims by bodily location of injury/disease

LOCATION 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

Upper limbs 533 506 430 484 ▼

Lower limbs 464 446 357 349 ▼

Trunk 332 334 250 248 ▼

Multiple locations 106 92 72 63 ▼

Head 66 46 60 55 ▼

Neck 32 53 31 39 ▲

Other locations 31 26 22 23 ▼

Lost-time claims proportions by bodily location of injury/disease 2015/16



Mining

38%

28%

20%

5%

4%

3%

2%

Upper limbs

Lower limbs

Trunk

Multiple locations

Head

Neck

Other locations


Lost-time claims by mechanism of incident

MECHANISM 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

Body stressing 653 693 520 515 ▼

Falls trips & slips of a person 399 367 340 337 ▼

Being hit by moving objects 299 232 184 215 ▼

Hitting objects with a part of the body 88 82 69 92 ■

Other & unspecified mechanisms of incident 52 60 52 48 ▼

Chemicals & other substances 26 32 21 24 ▼

Mental stress 18 15 13 13 ▼

Heat electricity & other environmental factors 19 12 12 13 ▼

Sound & pressure 4 3 6 2 ▼

Biological factors 6 7 5 2 ▼

Lost-time claims proportions by mechanism of incident 2015/16



Mining

41%

27%

17%

7%

4%

2%

1%

1%

0.2%

0.2%

Body stressing

Falls trips & slips of a person

Being hit by moving objects

Hitting objects with a part of the body

Other & unspecified mechanisms of incident

Chemicals & other substances

Mental stress

Heat electricity & other environmental factors

Sound & pressure

Biological factors


Lost-time claims by agency of injury/disease

AGENCY 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 Trend

Environmental agencies 396 346 311 334 ▼

Non-powered handtools appliances & equipment 284 320 239 253 ▼

Materials & substances 253 261 213 244 ■

Mobile plant & transport 305 276 239 209 ▼

Other & unspecified agencies 142 144 102 86 ▼

Powered equipment tools & appliances 70 46 49 56 ▼

Machinery & mainly fixed plant 63 57 42 46 ▼

Animal human & biological agencies 32 40 17 17 ▼

Chemicals & chemical products 19 13 10 16 ▼

Lost-time claims proportions by agency of injury/disease 2015/16



Mining

26%

20%

19%

17%

7%

4%

4%

1%

1%

Environmental agencies

Non-powered handtools appliances & equipment

Materials & substances

Mobile plant & transport

Other & unspecified agencies

Powered equipment tools & appliances

Machinery & mainly fixed plant

Animal human & biological agencies

Chemicals & chemical products


TERM DEFINITION / EXPLANATION OF TERM

Act The Workers' Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 .

Age Chronological age (in years) of the worker at the date of injury or disease.

Bodily location

Claimant A person who lodges a claim in the WA workers' compensation scheme.

Claim costs

Claims data

y lost-time journey claims between home and work

y asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma and pneumoconiosis

y duplicated or disallowed (by an insurer).

Claim numbers are subject to revision as claims experience matures.

Agency of injury or

disease

The object, substance or circumstance that was principally involved in or

most closely associated with the circumstances which ultimately led to the

most serious injury or disease. A comprehensive list of this classification is

available from Safe Work Australia Type of Occurrence Classification System

3rd edition (safeworkaustralia.gov.au).

The part of the body affected by the most serious injury or disease. A

comprehensive list of this classification is available from Safe Work

Australia Type of Occurrence Classification System 3rd edition

(safeworkaustralia.gov.au).

An estimate of costs for unfinalised claims, and total cost of finalised claims

attributed to the year in which a claim was lodged. Claim costs are subject

to revision as claims experience matures; this is especially true for more

recent years. Claim costs are not adjusted for inflation.

Information pertaining to workers’ compensation claims is reported to

WorkCover WA by approved insurers and self-insurers. Information is

collated based on the financial year in which a claim was lodged with the

insurer. For the purposes of this report, certain types of claims were

excluded:

Glossary



Claim payments

Days lost

Direct compensation

y redemption payments made under Schedule 1

y specific injury payments made under Schedule 2

y fatal payments including funeral expenses

y common law and other Acts payments.

Frequency rate

Industry

Long duration claims

Lost-time claims

The number of hours off work divided by the number of hours usually

worked each day. If the claim is finalised, actual hours off work are used,

otherwise if the claim is not finalised, estimated hours off work are used.

Payments made directly to the worker either by income replacement

(payments made for absences from work) or lump sums such as:

The number of lost-time claims per million hours worked and indicates the

prevalence of workers’ compensation claims. It is based on the number of

hours worked by employed persons in Western Australia as supplied by the

Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification

(ANZSIC) 2006 published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The ANZSIC

system groups together businesses that carry out similar economic

activities and structured into a hierarchy of units reflecting different levels

of description (abs.gov.au).

Workers' compensation claims for which the injury or disease results in an

absence from work of at least 60 days or shifts.

Lost-time claims are claims for which the injury or disease results in an

absence from work of at least one day or shift.

Categories are based on WorkCover WA’s Guidelines for Completing Form

WC 101. Claim payments are in contrast with claim costs as they do not

reflect liabilities incurred but not yet paid. Claim payment information is

collated based on the financial year during which payment was made,

regardless of when the claim was lodged with the insurer. In this report,

claim payments are reported both in adjusted and unadjusted formats. In

relation to the former, payments are adjusted for inflation to allow for

meaningful comparisons over time.

Glossary



Occupation

Service payments Service payments include:

1. medical and hospital payments:

y

y hospital expenses (hospital accommodation and hospital treatment)

2. allied health payments:

y

3. workplace rehabilitation payments:

y

4. legal and miscellaneous:

y

y

other treatment and appliance payments (comprises payments made

under clauses 17(1)(3), (4), (5) and (6) of Schedule 1 of the Act, other

than medical and hospital expenses)

workplace rehabilitation payments (comprises payments made under

clause 17 (1a) of Schedule 1 of the Act in respect of counselling,

occupational training, work assessment, aids and appliances)

legal expenses (comprises the cost of legal advice and representation

incurred by approved insurers or exempt employers, witness fees and

the costs of these services incurred by the worker where the approved

insurer or exempt employer is ordered to meet the costs)

miscellaneous (includes general items that do not fit in any other

category, for example travelling, meals and lodgings, under clause 19

of Schedule 1).

Mechanism of

incident

The action, exposure or event that best describes the circumstances that

resulted in the most serious injury or disease. The full list of this

classification is available from Safe Work Australia's Type of Occurrence

Classification System 3rd edition (safeworkaustralia.gov.au).

Nature of injury or

disease

The most serious injury or disease suffered by the worker. The full list of

this classification is available from Safe Work Australia's Type of Occurrence

Classification System 3rd edition (safeworkaustralia.gov.au).

Based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of

Occupations (ANZSCO) published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It is

a skill-based classification which encompasses all occupations in the

Australian workforce (abs.gov.au).

medical practitioner and specialist payments (consultation and

treatment expenses rendered by general practitioners and medical

specialists)

Glossary



Worker

a)

b) any person engaged by another person to work for the purpose of the

other person's trade or business under a contract with him for service,

the remuneration by whatever means of the person so working being in

substance for his personal manual labour or services.

As defined in Section 5 of the Workers' Compensation and Injury

Management Act 1981, a worker is defined as:

any person to whose service any industrial award or industrial

agreement applies; and

Glossary


1 Due to the dynamic nature of workers’ compensation claims, the interpretation of data contained

within this report (the data) must be undertaken with some caution. Data users are cautioned to

consider carefully the provisional nature of the data before using it for decisions that concern

personal or public safety or the conduct of business that involves substantial monetary or

operational consequences.

2 The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way. WorkCover WA

has made a reasonable effort to ensure that the data is up-to-date, accurate, complete, and

comprehensive at the time of disclosure. This data reflects data reported to this agency by insurers

for the reporting periods indicated. Data users are responsible for ensuring by independent

verification its accuracy, currency or completeness.

3 Neither WorkCover WA, or its agencies or representatives are responsible for data that is

misinterpreted or altered in any way. Derived conclusions and analysis generated from this data are

not to be considered attributable to WorkCover WA.

4 This data is provided as is and in no event shall WorkCover WA, its agencies or representatives be

liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from lost data or lost

profits or revenue, the costs of recovering such data, the costs of substitute data, claims by third

parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, punitive or consequential damages,

arising out of the use of the data.

5 Information concerning the accuracy and appropriate uses of the data or concerning other

workers’ compensation data may be obtained by contacting WorkCover WA.


Disclaimer


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