There were 157 Australians who left for work last year and never came home, according to the latest preliminary government data.
The 2019 fatality statistics reveal worker deaths rose slightly last year compared to 2018, when 144 people were fatally injured at work.
Workers employed in the transport, postal and warehousing industry face the greatest risks, with 55 deaths in this sector accounting for nearly a third of all workplace fatalities.
There were 31 workers killed in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry and 24 construction fatalities.
Workers in mining, manufacturing, electricity, gas, water and waste services also recorded higher fatalities than most professions.
A separate SWA report last week revealed 107,000 workers had been seriously incapacitated in the 2017/18 financial year, needing at least one week away from their jobs.
The three most common reasons were stresses on the body, falls and trips and getting hit by a falling object.
Labourers, community and personal service workers and machinery drivers and operators filed the most number of claims.
Industries proportionally most prone to serious claims were agriculture, forestry and fishing, manufacturing and transport, postal and warehouse workers.
Top 10 worker deaths by industry of workplace, 2019
- Transport, postal & warehousing: 55 deaths
- Agriculture, forestry & fishing: 31
- Construction: 24
- Mining: 9
- Public administration & safety: 9
- Manufacturing: 7
- Electricity, gas, water & waste services: 6
- Other services: 6
- Arts & recreation services: 4
- Wholesale trade: 2
- Professional, scientific & technical services: 2
Source: 9News
