As we welcome 2026, workplaces across Aotearoa face both opportunities and responsibilities when it comes to keeping people safe, healthy, and resilient. Despite gains in safety performance, workplace harm — both injuries and illness — remains a serious issue that affects individuals, whānau, businesses and the wider economy.
Workplace Harm: What the Data Tells Us
Injury claims are still significant.
In 2024, ACC accepted around 209,400 work-related injury claims — a decrease from the previous year and the lowest incidence rate (80 claims per 1,000 full-time equivalent employees) since tracking began in 2002. Yet the number of workplace injury claims remains high and affects many industries, including agriculture, forestry, fishing, manufacturing and construction. Trades workers made up a large portion of these claims. (Insurance Business)
Workplace harm isn’t just about immediate injuries.
WorkSafe New Zealand’s reporting highlights that illness caused by work — including long-term exposure to hazards like noise, chemicals, ergonomic strain or psychosocial stress — leads to far more harm than sudden workplace injury. An estimated 750–900 deaths each year are attributed to work-related illness, with 5,000–6,000 hospitalisations annually as a result of ill-health from the workplace. Occupational diseases collectively have a greater impact than acute injuries. (WorkSafe)
The human and economic cost is real.
Although workplace injuries represent about 10% of all ACC claims, they account for 22% of total costs because of extended rehabilitation and lost productivity. In 2024, workers off work due to injury took a combined 5.5 million workdays off. (Insurance Business)
What This Means for Your Workplace
Every claim, injury, or health outcome tells a story — of a person who was trying to do their job and ended up hurt or unwell. But the positive news is that many injuries and illnesses are preventable with the right preparation, training and planning.
Here’s where leadership — from managers to team leads — can make a real difference:
- Prevention before reaction: Create a culture where safety and wellbeing are discussed regularly, not just after an incident. Encourage reporting of hazards and near misses.
- Preparedness saves lives: In a real emergency — medical, traumatic or environmental — having trained people on the ground matters. It’s not just about compliance; it’s about capability and confidence under pressure.
- Support recovery and return-to-work: Strong processes help people come back safely and productively.
Empower Your Team in 2026
One of the most effective steps you can take right now is to invest in practical emergency response and first aid training. Being prepared doesn’t just tick a box — it builds skill, confidence and resilience.
From basic life support to advanced workplace first aid, courses from Medic First Aid NZ give your people the tools to act when it matters most:
🔗 See what courses are available:
https://medicfirstaid.co.nz/courses/
📅 Book training now:
https://book.medicfirstaid.co.nz/
Whether you’re a small business or a large organisation, having trained responders on site can make the difference between a manageable situation and a tragedy.
Your Call to Action
Let’s make 2026 the year workplace safety goes beyond compliance — where preparedness, training and wellbeing are part of your workplace DNA.
Every workplace injury prevented and every life protected matters. Start with training, talk about safety, and lead by example.