A clearer picture of Australia makes work safer
Each year in Australia, approximately 200 people lose their lives at work and thousands more are injured or fall ill. Census data helps Safe Work Australia understand the risks workers face to help prevent death, illness and injury.
“It’s the only time we get that detailed snapshot of the jobs people are doing across the country and the workers doing them,” says Phillip Wise, Director of the Data Improvement and Analysis team.
The data helps identify industries facing higher risks, from fatalities in transport, agriculture and construction to increasing psychological stress in healthcare. It also shapes how this information is shared.
“It’s about ensuring our communications reach the right people, so our campaigns have the greatest possible impact,” says Marianne Gordon, Director of Communications.
Ahead of Australia’s 2024 ban on engineered stone to address increasing cases of serious worker illness, Census data identified the most commonly spoken languages in the industry.
This insight helped develop translated work health and safety resources in Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic. Without Census data, important safety information may not have reached at-risk workers.
As Australia’s workforce changes, Safe Work Australia relies on updated Census data to get a deeper understanding of behaviours at work. That matters most when supporting multicultural communities, where language, migration history and education level can all affect how safety information is received.
It means Safe Work Australia can transform work health and safety laws into something accessible on the ground.
“In this way, we can work towards ensuring everyone has access to a safe and healthy working environment,” Mr Wise says.
Every answer matters in the 2026 Census because a clearer understanding of Australia’s workforce helps organisations respond earlier, communicate better and ultimately, save lives. “We’re talking about real people, not just numbers,” adds Mr Wise.
Take part in the 2026 Census
The next Census will take place on Tuesday 11 August 2026.
Visit census.abs.gov.au/language to find out more.
