This paper analyses the trend and costs of injuries and disease in the New South Wales (NSW) construction industry between 1982-83 and 1986-87. The NSW construction industry was chosen as it accounted for over a third of Australia's construction employment in that period. Although both the number and the incidence rates of injuries and disease fell during the period, they were still more than double those of the all-industry average. The share of construction in the total number of injuries and disease in the state was twice its share in the workforce. The industry's share in workers' compensation payments was three times higher than its share in the workforce. The estimated number of days lost through injuries and disease in NSW construction was eighteen times more than that caused by industrial disputes in the same industry. Compensation payments over injuries and disease represented 5.2% of the state health expenditure in the period 1985-87. The cost of both compensation payments and production losses represented 5.8 c/$ of the average cost of buildings completed in NSW in 1985-86 and 7.4 c/$ in 1986-87. Further reductions are possible and the benefits can be significant as insurance companies give large discounts on workers' compensation premium to contractors with good safety records.
