WorkSafe Tasmania

WorkSafe Tasmania

Safe and well every day

Manufacturing snapshot 2021

Key facts about the workforce

This industry grouping covers a wide range of activities, separated into over 60 groups. The three largest employing groups are:

  • Bakery product manufacturing
  • Basic Non-ferrous Metal Manufacturing
  • Beverage manufacturing

Key facts about injury numbers

There were 878 injuries across this industry in 2021.

This results in a serious injury frequency rate of 12.5 serious injuries per million hours worked.

The serious injury frequency rate of 12.5 is 19% higher than the state average of 10.5.

The industry’s serious injury frequency rate was 10% lower in 2021 than ten years ago.

Key facts about injured workers

Other transport equipment manufacturing reported the highest number of serious injuries.

The occupations with the highest proportion of serious injuries were:

  • Labourers with 17% of the total and
  • Food process workers with 14% of the total

Key facts about injury causes

The most common causes of injury across the industry in 2021, in order of largest proportion of total injuries, were:

  • Body stressing
  • Being hit by moving objects
  • Falls, slips and trips

Priority conditions and causes

The WorkSafe Strategic Plan 2018-2023 identifies six priority causes and conditions, of these four are most relevant to the industry:

  • Musculoskeletal disorders
  • Hazardous manual tasks
  • Slips, trips and falls
  • Safe movement of vehicles and plant
Last updated: 23 August 2023
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