Safety
The Youngest Workers Had the Worst Safety Record — Until Now
While storms dominate headlines, workplace injury data reveals something remarkable: young Kiwis aged 15-29 are now safer at work than they've been in 24 years. The number of serious injuries has dropped 63% since 2020.
Why Are Young Kiwis Getting Hurt at Work Half as Often as Four Years Ago?
While storm-hit communities wait for help, one crisis has been quietly disappearing. Serious workplace injuries among under-30s have dropped 59% since 2020 — the lowest rate in a generation.
Māori Workplace Injuries Dropped 55% Since 2021 — Here's What Changed
While storms devastate communities, a quieter shift has been happening in workplaces. Serious injuries to Māori workers have plummeted from 75,000 three years ago to under 33,000 today.
Someone Dies at Work in New Zealand Every 28 Hours
While storm cleanup crews work around the clock in Wairarapa and Rangitikei, workplace death data shows what puts responders — and all workers — at risk. Fatal injuries have barely budged in five years.
ACC Claims Hit Record High While Storm-Hit Communities Wait for Help
As Wairarapa and Rangitikei struggle with storm damage, ACC data reveals a darker backdrop: serious workplace injuries reached 400,836 last year — the highest in 24 years of records. Seven years of consecutive increases, and no signs of slowing.
The Quiet Epidemic: Why 10,000 Kiwi Workers Now Develop Compression Injuries Every Year
While storms dominate headlines, a slower disaster is unfolding in New Zealand workplaces. Compression syndrome cases have jumped 40% since 2020 — and nobody's talking about it.
New Zealand's Oldest Workers Are Now Three Times Safer Than a Decade Ago
Serious workplace injuries among workers aged 90 and over have plummeted from 28,491 in 2021 to 12,225 in 2024. It's the lowest level in 19 years — but the drop reveals something unexpected about who's still working in their tenth decade.
Kiwis Approaching Retirement Are Half as Likely to Get Seriously Hurt at Work
While storms batter communities and headlines fixate on crises, workplace safety data tells a quieter story: serious injuries among workers aged 55-59 have plummeted 54% since 2020. For a generation that can't afford to stop working, that's the good news nobody's talking about.