Data collection and privacy

Safe Work Australia (SWA) collects, uses and publishes work health and safety and compensation data to perform its functions under the Safe Work Australia Act 2008. We collect this data from a range of sources, including from other work health and safety agencies across Australia. 

Although the data we hold is often de-identified, sometimes it includes personal information. For this reason, we handle the data described on this page as personal information for the purposes of the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act).

For more detail about our functions and how we handle personal information, see our privacy policy.

The data we collect

The data we collect includes information like:

  • Age
  • Work status
  • Date of birth
  • Sex
  • Postcode / State or Territory
  • Occupation
  • Industry
  • Injury details (nature, location, mechanism of injury or disease)
  • Compensation paid
  • Circumstances of death
  • Information about legal proceedings

The data is included in six different databases or datasets. The information in those databases is described below, along with information about how we use, disclose, protect and store that information.

We may share these datasets with research institutions in limited circumstances, after ensuring that the data is de-identified.

National Dataset for Compensation-based Statistics

  • This dataset contains data about all workers’ compensation claims in Australia. We compile this data from workers’ compensation authorities.
  • The data held by SWA is de-identified and compiled into a national data set.
  • We also publish the de-identified, aggregate data on our interactive data website.

Work-Related Traumatic Injury Fatalities database

  • This dataset contains the details of work-related deaths in Australia, including the deceased’s name and the circumstances of their death. Although the Privacy Act does not apply to the information of a deceased person, the dataset could also include the personal information of living third parties.
  • We collect this information from sources including fatality notifications to Australia’s work health and safety (WHS) regulators, media reports and information in the National Coronial Information System.
  • We will only disclose the personal information in this database to regulators where we need to do so to obtain more information to complete the dataset.
  • We also publish de-identified, aggregate preliminary and finalised data on our interactive data website. 

Jurisdictional comparison dataset

  • This is an aggregate dataset relating to WHS compliance and enforcement, compensation, disputes, enforcement of workplace decisions and undertakings.
  • We collect the aggregate data from WHS regulators and workers’ compensation authorities in Australia and New Zealand.
  • We do not share the data in this dataset with any other entity, but we do publish de‑identified, aggregate data in the  Jurisdictional comparison dashboard on our website.

National Return to Work Survey

  • This is a de-identified dataset relating to return to work outcomes of individuals receiving workers’ compensation after a work-related injury.
  • We use an external provider to undertake the National Return to Work survey. The survey provider collects basic details about workers and employers from workers’ compensation authorities in Australia, including personal information of workers who meet the criteria for sampling in the survey, and employers of such people. This personal information includes name, contact details and other workers’ compensation claim details.
  • The purpose of this collection is to obtain the information needed to create a survey sample and then contact the sampled workers or employers.
  • The survey provider also collects information directly from workers and employers who agree to participate in the survey.
  • All survey responses are anonymous. We combine the data into a de-identified dataset. We publish aggregate statistics, derived from the de-identified dataset, in National Return to Work Survey reports, for example, see the  2021 National Return to Work Survey report available on our website.
  • For further information about the National Return to Work Survey, including how we and the survey provider use and handle the data, please see Participating in a survey | dataswa. 

Quad Bikes database

  • This database contains de-identified information about the number of people killed in incidents involving quad bikes in Australia.
  • We collect this information from media reports (including from relevant government authority websites such as police and Australian Transport Safety Bureau) and from our Work-Related Traumatic Injury Fatalities database.
  • While this data is deidentified, it may be possible for a person to be identified (for example, by other people who know more details about the incident). If you have concerns about any information in this data set, please contact us.
  • Summary data about quad bike fatalities is uploaded to our website.

Prosecutions Repository database

  • This database contains information about WHS prosecutions of persons conducting a business or undertaking. This database may include the names of individuals or organisations.
  • We collect this information from public reports of WHS prosecutions available on work health and safety regulators’ websites. These reports may contain the names of individuals or organisations and can play a deterrent role in encouraging compliance with the WHS laws.
  • We also collect information about WHS prosecutions directly from Comcare.
  • We publish de-identified, aggregate data on a dashboard on our interactive website.   

Australian Worker Exposure Survey

  • This is a de-identified dataset relating to worker exposure to hazards in the workplace.
  • We use an external survey provider to undertake the Australian Worker Exposure Survey. The survey provider collects basic details from online community research panel members, including personal information of panel members who meet the criteria for sampling in the survey. This personal information may include name, contact details, job title and demographic information.
  • The purpose of this collection is to obtain the information needed to create a survey sample and then contact the sampled panel members.
  • The survey provider also collects information directly from workers who agree to participate in the survey.
  • All survey responses are anonymous. Data will be combined into a de-identified dataset. We will publish aggregate statistics, derived from the de-identified dataset, on our data website.
  • For further information about the Australian Worker Exposure Survey, including how we and the survey provider use and handle the data, please see the Participating in the Australian Worker Exposure Survey page. 
     

Publication of data

We publish de-identified data on our interactive data website. Our interactive data website makes our de-identified WHS and workers’ compensation data more accessible, using interactive dashboards and online data collections. 

Before we publish the data we take steps to ensure individuals cannot be re-identified, which include:

  • applying rules to keep personal information confidential – for example, where there is a small number of individuals in a particular category, that data is not published
  • checking data for information that could be disclosive before it is published
  • prohibiting staff from taking steps to re-identify individuals, and
  • limiting access to the data to certain SWA staff.

For more information about SWA’s privacy practices, how to request access to or correction of personal information, or to make a privacy enquiry or complaint, please see our privacy policy.

Latest release
This is not the latest release