Most Common Workplace Injuries in Queensland

In 2024-25, there were a total of 100,722 WorkCover statutory claims lodged for injuries sustained in the workplace. According to WorkSafe Queensland’s data, 82% of those claims were accepted, and 4% progressed to a common law negligence-based claim. As WorkCover lawyers on the Gold Coast, Claimwise has been exposed to a number of WorkCover related matters.

However, before we look at common workplace injuries in Australia, let’s first take a look at industry trends. Our Queensland personal injury lawyers notice a direct relationship between the type of injury sustained and the industry in which it took place.

 

Common Workplace Injuries in Queensland: Industry Trends

WorkCover claims data for 2024-25 shows a clear deviation from traditionally high physical-risk industries and service to care-based industries. Sectors long associated with manual labour and physical hazards, particularly Construction (-2.4%) and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (-1.1%), recorded flat or declining claim numbers. This may reflect improved workplace safety practices, greater investment in injury prevention, or shifts in workforce size and activity levels within these industries.

By contrast, service and care-oriented industries saw notable increases. Healthcare and Social Assistance recorded the largest absolute rise in claims (+8.6%). This is consistent with ongoing workforce pressures across aged care, disability, and health services, including high demand, understaffing, and the physically/emotionally demanding nature of frontline care. 

Accommodation and Food Services saw the sharpest proportional increase of any industry (+13.2%), which may point to a combination of workforce growth in hospitality and increased exposure among younger or less experienced workers. Public Administration and Safety also rose notably (+5.2%).

This pattern suggests that the nature of workplace risk may be shifting. Where claims in physically intensive industries have traditionally been driven by manual handling injuries, slips, and musculoskeletal strain, the growth in service and care-based sectors points to a broader set of contributing factors. This implies there is less focus on physical hazard exposure and more about the conditions and pressures of the work itself.

 

Industry	2024–25	Previous Year
Healthcare and Social Assistance	17,408	16,034
Manufacturing	11,770	11,512
Construction	11,230	11,512
Public Administration and Safety	9,846	9,360
Education and Training	8,607	8,452
Accommodation and Food Services	6,743	5,959
Retail Trade	6,494	6,730
Transport, Postal and Warehousing	5,198	5,263
Wholesale Trade	3,797	3,793
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	2,804	2,835

 

Most Common Workplace Injuries in Queensland

Noticing the industry trends for WorkCover claims in 2024-2025 helps us understand the significant changes that occurred to the types of injuries over this period. As a general trend, physical injuries have remained relatively consistent over the last couple of years. Where we see a real shift, is the number of WorkCover claims that are lodged for psychological injuries. 

Given what we dictated from the industry trends, the rise in psychological claims is directly linked to the healthcare and social assistance industries. As high pressure industries with commonly long hours, understaffing, and demand, many of these claims were likely to be associated with the psychological impacts of the industry environment.

 

Psychological and Psychiatric Injuries

Year	Psychological/Psychiatric Claims	Change
2022	5,530	—
2023	6,318	+14.3%
2024	7,965	+26.1%
2024–25	8,704	+9.3%

This category continues its sharp upward trajectory, rising from 7,965 to 8,704 this year (+9.3%). Interestingly, over the last three years alone it has increased by 57% (from 5,530 in 2022).

Unlike most other injury types, this growth shows no sign of slowing. It reflects a broader, sustained shift in the nature of workplace harm. Psychological injuries are becoming increasingly recognised, reported, and claimed at a scale that now rivals many physical injury categories.

 

Strain & Sprain

This remains the largest single category of claims, rising very slightly from 18,148 to 18,496 (+1.9%). As the most common injury type by a wide margin, it points to the ongoing prevalence of overexertion, repetitive movement, and manual handling injuries across the workforce. The modest increase suggests this remains a persistent, baseline risk rather than a fast-emerging issue.

 

Other Injuries

This category grew from 13,127 to 14,111 (+7.5%), making it one of the faster-growing groups this year. Because it captures injuries that don’t fit neatly into standard classifications, the increase is harder to interpret without more detail.

It could reflect a genuinely diverse mix of minor or complex injuries, or possibly a shift in how claims are being coded. It’s an interesting area to watch as new data is released, as we are yet to make any firm conclusions about what these injuries are and their associated industries.

 

Diseases of Musculoskeletal System

Claims rose modestly from 11,230 to 11,432 (+1.8%). These injuries are typically chronic or cumulative conditions, such as degenerative joint or spinal issues, rather than acute injuries. The steady increase may reflect longer-term wear from physically demanding roles, an ageing workforce, or improved recognition and reporting of gradual-onset conditions within WorkCover.

 

Fracture

Fracture claims declined slightly from 7,780 to 7,646 (-1.7%). As an acute, typically high-severity injury type, this modest fall may reflect improved safety controls in higher-risk physical settings, though a single year’s dip should be noted cautiously. A more firm conclusion can be made following future data, should this trend continue.

 

Open Wound (hand)

This category also declined slightly, from 5,974 to 5,917 (-1.0%), continuing a relatively stable pattern. Hand injuries are often linked to manual and trade-based work, similarly to fractures. This suggests that the scarcely declining trend may also point to consistent use of protective equipment and safety procedures in these settings.

 

Strain and Sprain (back)

Back-related strain and sprain claims fell from 4,864 to 4,464 (-8.2%), the largest percentage decline of any category in this dataset. This is a meaningful drop and could reflect improved manual handling training, ergonomic interventions, or mechanisation reducing manual lifting tasks.

 

Demographics For Specific Injury Types

• Strain & Sprains: Workers aged 45 to 59 account for 38.4% of claims.
• Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System: Workers aged 45 to 59 account for 36.3% of claims.
• Other Injuries: Workers aged 30 to 44 account for 34.5% of claims.
• Fractures: Workers aged 30 to 44 account for 38.6% of claims.
• Open Wounds (hand): Workers aged 30 to 44 account for 37.9% of claims.
• Psychological & Psychiatric Injuries: Workers aged 45 to 59 account for 42.0% of claims.
• Strain & Sprain (back): Workers aged 45 to 59 account for 40.5% of claims.

 

Summary of Workplace Injuries in Australia

Injury Type	2024–25	Previous Year
Strain and sprain – other	18,496	18,148
“Other injury”	14,111	13,127
Diseases of musculoskeletal system	11,432	11,230
Psychological and psychiatric injuries	8,704	7,965
Fracture	7,646	7,780
Open wound – hand	5,917	5,974
Strain and sprain – back	4,464	4,864

Overall, recognising the slight decreasing trend of physical injuries compared to the increased number of psychological injuries may predict what to expect from WorkCover moving into 2027.

 

WorkCover 2027: Our Predictions at Claimwise

Studying this data suggests elements of the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 and the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2025 may be amended in 2027. The legislation in Queensland is being specifically reviewed in relation to the sharp rise in psychological injury claims recognised through this data. 

While there is no confirmation as to what changes will be made, the trends seen during the 2024–25 period indicate where the Act and regulatory body may look to tighten requirements.

• Strengthen the “reasonable management action” exclusion: Clarify or expand the types of legitimate management action (e.g. performance management, disciplinary action, restructuring and investigations) that cannot give rise to a compensable psychological injury when undertaken reasonably.
• Potentially increase the causation threshold: Require employment to be the major significant contributing factor to a psychological injury (as it was from 2013 to 2020), rather than merely a significant contributing factor.
• Enhance early intervention and return-to-work measures: Expand access to early psychological treatment, workplace mediation and rehabilitation to reduce the duration and cost of psychological claims (though this may not translate well into practice).

These are purely assumptions based on the statistical evidence provided by WorkSafe Queensland, and should not be considered factual or confirmed changes. This information should also not replace personalised legal support during WorkCover matters, whether lodging or disputing a claim. A legal practitioner can offer support and help claimants understand their rights and obligations clearly.

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*This article provides general information about WorkSafe data released about WorkCover claims in Queensland. It is not legal advice and should be relied on as a substitute for advice from a qualified legal practitioner about your specific circumstances.