Patterns and Impacts of OHS Risks among Plumbers in Australia: Insights from 15 Years of National Workers’ Compensation Data

Abstract Plumbers face several occupational health and safety (OHS) risks in the construction industry. However, existing evidence is largely fragmented, dated, or limited to prevalence-based assessments. This study addresses this gap by analyzing recent long-term (15 years, 2009–2023) workers’ compensation data from the Australian construction sector to examine the prevalence, severity, and mechanisms of both physical injuries and occupational diseases among plumbers. Descriptive statistical and two-way and three-way chi-square contingency analyses were performed to examine how incident severity varies across injury and disease types, incident mechanisms and agencies, affected body parts, worker demographics, and organizational size. The study found that physical injuries accounted for 80% of all incidents, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and noise-induced hearing loss dominated health issues. Fatalities were primarily linked to asbestos-related diseases and electrocution, and permanent incapacities were driven by hearing loss, MSDs, and amputations. Plumbers accounted for nearly 10% of all construction incidents, with micro-businesses disproportionately affected, and apprentices represented 13% of cases. Noise-induced hearing loss emerged as the leading cause of permanent incapacity, highlighting underrecognized auditory risks. The study also identified 20 most common incident agencies and found strong associations between injury severity and affected body parts, particularly the head, neck, ears, back, shoulders, fingers, and knees. These findings advocate a trade-specific, priority-driven OHS risk management approach, accompanied by changes to policies and management practices related to noise exposure, ergonomic risks, hazardous material handling, and work organization in small enterprises.