Australian workplace fatalities hit highest level since 2012, union urges stronger safety measures

Safe Work Australia’s newest statistics reveal 222 worker deaths in 2025, the highest tally since 2012, with vehicle crashes responsible for 41% of the fatalities. Workers in remote locations are eight times more likely to die than those in cities, and the majority of deaths occur in agriculture, construction, transport, manufacturing, health care and public administration. Union assistant secretary Liam O’Brien condemned the toll and pointed to eight deaths at waste-management firm Cleanaway since 2022, demanding accountability.

Cleanaway responded that it has intensified its health, safety and environment strategy and investigated each incident. Safe Work Australia chief Marie Boland emphasized that known hazards are preventable and urged governments, regulators, employers and unions to act on the agency’s best-practice review to improve safety standards.