Workplace injury claims dropped to 201,000 in 2025, but age and industry gaps demand HR attention
Work-related injury claims in New Zealand fell by 11,500 in 2025, new data from Statistics New Zealand (Stats NZ) shows. But the figures expose persistent workplace injury risk gaps across age groups, industries and regions that HR leaders cannot afford to overlook.
Provisional statistics released on 23 September 2026 cover claims accepted by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) for injuries in the 2025 calendar year. The national incidence rate stood at 78 claims per 1,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.
The headline decline may look reassuring. A closer read of the data reveals where employer safety obligations are most acute.
Who is getting hurt at work?
Workers at both ends of the age spectrum carry the greatest risk. Those aged 75 and over recorded the highest incidence rate of any age group – 116 claims per 1,000 FTEs, according to Stats NZ. Research into the safety challenges of managing an older and ageing New Zealand workforce has long flagged this cohort as a priority for HR teams.
Male workers accounted for 68% of total claims, with a rate of 97 claims per 1,000 FTEs. Female workers recorded 56 claims per 1,000 FTEs, representing 32% of total claims.
By occupation, trades workers lodged the highest volume – 31,800 claims in 2025, or 16% of the total. Clerical workers had the lowest, at 5,700 claims (3% of total).
Which industries carry the highest workplace injury risk?
Agriculture, forestry and fishing led all sectors at 132 claims per 1,000 FTEs – nearly double the national rate. Arts and recreation services followed at 123, manufacturing at 113, and construction at 106. Together, construction and manufacturing accounted for 28% of all work-related claims in 2025.
Regional variation was also pronounced. Gisborne and Hawke's Bay recorded 117 claims per 1,000 FTEs – a region that has consistently recorded some of the highest workplace injury rates in New Zealand. Otago/Southland followed at 111, and Northland at 107. Wellington had the lowest rate at 52, with Auckland at 64 – both well below the national average.
What are the most common work-related injuries in New Zealand?
Soft tissue damage was by far the most prevalent injury type, with 134,200 claims. These include ligament, tendon and muscle injuries, but exclude fractures and organ damage. Abdominal injuries – covering the lower back, spine, pelvis and kidney – were the most common injury site at 38,200 claims. Wrist and hand injuries followed at 37,300 claims.
Industrial deafness was the leading gradual onset condition, with 3,700 claims recorded in 2025.
How should HR leaders respond to these workplace injury trends?
The data makes clear that workplace injury risk is not evenly distributed. Older and younger workers, those in physical trades, and employees in agriculture or construction face measurably higher exposure than the national average.
For HR teams managing diverse workforces, safety programs cannot be one-size-fits-all. Tailored inductions for younger workers, ergonomic assessments for older employees, and sector-specific hazard controls are baseline obligations under New Zealand's Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 2015.
Stats NZ noted that work-related fatality claims are included in the full data release but not highlighted here. Such claims can take up to two years to be finalised, pending findings from the Coroners Court.
