One in five serious workers’ compensation claims relates to back injuries, the latest statistics from Safe Work Australia reveal.

A typical serious claim involves four weeks off work, with one-quarter of claims requiring 12 or more weeks’ absence.

In 2009/10 there were 13 serious claims per 1000 employees, according to the Key Work Health and Safety Statistics report. Preliminary data for 2010/11 suggests the rate will be lower.

Men are 30% more likely than women to experience serious injury or disease, while the rate of serious injury claims rises with age.

Labourers and related jobs have the highest rate, more than double that for all occupations; the highest rates by industry are in transport and storage, agriculture, forestry and fishing, and the manufacturing sector.

Fifty-eight in 1000 workers suffered injury or illness in the workplace in 2009/10, but half required less than one day or shift off.

The national standardised average premium rate has fallen 16% from 1.79% of payroll in 2005/06 to 1.49% in 2010/11, Safe Work says.