The current hiatus in occupational injury research in Australia

Objective: In late 1999, the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA) noted the difficulty of accessing and reviewing Australian research into occupational injuries and asked for a register of research in this field to be created. It offered the use of its website as a continuing location for a possible register. The creation of the initial database was the primary objective of this work. Method: Data collection was by survey form. which was distributed by mail to relevant organisations and individuals and was also downloadable from the SIA website. Responses were accepted by mail, fax and e-mail. Results: By April 2000, responses which included publications in peer-reviewed journals since 1995 totalled just 154. This seemed to support the Institute's opinion that the amount of research in progress was inadequate to reduce the incidence of workplace injuries in Australia. Conclusions and implications: The small number of responses was partly due to the 1996 restructuring of the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission. Additionally, present arrangements give no role for investigator-initiated and investigator-driven research which has been the essential prerequisite for success in other areas of public health. The Australian workforce is now disadvantaged in contrast to overseas competitors who have national occupational injuries research organisations. To remedy this situation, a new science-based research grant organisation, with annual funds of about $25 million, administered by a new Occupational Injuries Research Council is proposed.