Data for 1985 to 1999 from the New Zealand Health Information Service and Accident Compensation Corporation was augmented by New Zealand Fire Service investigation reports and coronial records to identify personal, environmental and fire related factors associated with injury and death of New Zealand adults by fire in the work-place. On average there were 1.6 deaths to workers per year during the period. Younger males in the agricultural, fishing and manufacturing industries were at the highest risk. Welding torches were the primary source of ignition in fatal work-related fires. The risk of fatal work-place fire was highest in the afternoon.

On average there were 1.7 deaths per year to bystanders who were unintentionally killed or injured by fire directly as a result of someone else’s work process. Elderly males were the most at risk with most incidents occurring in residential institutions.