For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Tuesday, November 24, 2009 USDL-09-1454
Technical information: (202) 691-6170 - iifstaff@bls.gov - www.bls.gov/iif/oshcdnew.htm
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 - PressOffice@bls.gov
(This release was reissued on December 4, 2009, to correct the key findings section for the increase in injuries and illnesses for heavy and
tractor-trailer truck drivers to 4 percent in 2008. Additionally, it corrects phrasing in the 4th sentence of the first paragraph and 4 rounding
errors elsewhere in the text.)
NONFATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND ILLNESSES
REQUIRING DAYS AWAY FROM WORK, 2008
Both the rate and the number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work in private industry decreased 7 percent
from 2007 to 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rate decreased to 113 per 10,000 full time workers and the number of cases
decreased by 80,730. There were 1.1 million cases requiring days away from work in private industry out of 3.7 million total recordable cases as
reported by the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Median days away from work -- a key measure of severity of the injuries and
illnesses -- increased to 8 days in 2008 after holding steady at 7 days for the previous four years.
Key findings for injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work in 2008:
- The number of cases for construction laborers decreased 8 percent from 2007 to 2008 to a total of 31,310, but the rate
(383 cases per 10,000 workers) was unchanged (see tables 4 and 20).
- The number of cases (28,900) for retail salespersons decreased 12 percent in 2008. The rate (90.1) decreased by 13 percent.
- The number of cases remained unchanged compared to 2007 for nursing aids, orderlies, and attendants; non-construction laborers; and truck
drivers (see chart A). However, the rate for heavy and tractor trailer truck drivers increased in 2008, up by 4 percent from 2007.
- The total number of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) cases continued to decline to a six-year low (since record keeping definitions changed) of
317,440 cases. However, the percentage of MSD cases out of total cases (29 percent in 2008) has not varied greatly since 2005.
- Despite an overall decrease in the number of injury and illness cases, there were increases in selected categories:
- The number of injuries and illnesses to workers 55 to 64 years old and workers 65 and older increased 3 percent and 13 percent, respectively
(see table 1).
- The number of cases for Hispanic or Latino workers in transportation and material moving occupations increased 10 percent to 27,770 cases from
2007.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics will issue a separate news release in early 2010 highlighting data on injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work
for State and local government workers, available for 2008 for the first time.
(Chart A appears hear in the printed release)
Chart A. Occupations with a high number of days-away-from-work cases, 2005-2008
Occupation
Eight occupations had more than 20,000 injuries and illnesses in 2008 (see table 4), as they have every year since 2003. These eight occupations made
up 30 percent of all injuries and illnesses with days away from work in 2008.
- Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers experienced the highest number of days-away-from-work injuries and illnesses in 2008, with
79,590 cases, substantially unchanged from 2007 levels. The median days away from work for this occupation increased by one day to 8 days, from 2007.
- Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers had 57,700 cases with days away from work and required 17 median days away from work to recuperate, up
from 15 days in 2007. While the number of cases did not increase significantly from 2007, the rate per 10,000 full time workers for heavy and
tractor-trailer truck drivers increased 4 percent from 2007.
- Carpenters (for whom the number of days-away-from-work cases decreased by 24 percent from 2007 levels) had fewer than 20,000 injuries and illnesses
for the first time since 2003.
Seven occupations (with at least 0.1 percent of total employment) had days-away-from-work rates three times greater than the all-worker rate of 113 cases
per 10,000 full time workers (see table 20).
- The rate for nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants was 449 per 10,000 full time workers and decreased by 4 percent while the number of cases did
not change significantly from 2007. Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants required a median of 5 days to recuperate from injuries and illnesses,
which is 3 days fewer than for all occupations.
- The rate for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers (440) and construction laborers (383) did not change significantly from 2007.
- The days-away-from-work rate for reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks increased 16 percent and the rate for emergency
medical technicians and paramedics increased by 11 percent.
Industry
In private industry, four industry sectors accounted for three-fourths of injuries and illnesses with days away from work in 2008 (see table 1) --
trade, transportation and utilities (30 percent); education and health services (17 percent); manufacturing (15 percent); and construction (11 percent).
Except the education and health services industry, each of these industry sectors had significant decreases in the number of days away from work cases.
- Within the educational and health services industry, some occupations experienced an increase in days-away-from-work cases in 2008 compared to 2007:
management, business, and financial occupations (19 percent increase) and office and administrative support occupations (8 percent increase).
- The manufacturing industry reported a 12 percent decrease in days-away-from-work cases, led by a 14 percent decrease in cases for workers in
production occupations and a 9 percent decrease in transportation and material moving occupations (see table 3).
- The construction industry experienced decreases in numbers and rates of days-away-from-work cases from 2007. The number of cases declined by
11 percent to 120,240 in 2008, and the rate fell 8 percent to 174 cases of days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers (see table 7).
- Trade transportation and utilities and manufacturing each had a 9 percent decrease in their incidence rate, to 144 and 121 respectively.
Worker characteristics
Worker characteristics include age, gender, race or ethnic origin, and length of service with the employer at the time of the incident
(see tables 1, 2, and 8).
Age. Workers who were 20 to 24 years of age had a days-away-from-work rate of 119 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, which was a decrease of 11 percent
from 2007 (see table 16). The only age group with an increase in the rate (6 percent) was workers 65 years and older. For this age group, there was a
23 percent increase in the number of injury and illness cases for transportation and material moving occupations to 6,190. The number of cases in all
other occupation groups either increased or did not significantly change from 2007 for this age group.
Workers age 65 and over experienced the longest absences from work in 2008 with a median of 15 days, which was one day less than required in 2007. Workers
age 14 to 15 and 16 to 19 required a median of 4 days of recuperation. The median number of days increased by one day for workers age 14 to 15, 20 to 24,
and 35 to 44.
Gender. Men accounted for 64 percent of days-away-from-work cases, the same proportion as in 2007. The rate for men and women decreased in 2008 by 7
percent and 8 percent, respectively (see table 16). Men continued to have a higher incidence rate (125) than women (97).
Race or ethnicity. The number of injuries and illnesses decreased by 11 percent for both white workers (464,500) and black workers (83,970), and
decreased by 7 percent for Hispanic or Latino workers (145,870). The number of cases increased 10 percent for Hispanic or Latino workers in
transportation and material moving occupations (27,770), despite the overall decrease in this ethnic category. Race or ethnicity was unreported in
33 percent of days-away-from-work cases.
Case characteristics
A number of variables describe the circumstances of workplace injuries and illnesses that required one or more days away from work. They include nature,
part of body, source, and event or exposure, as well as --musculoskeletal disorders-- (an amalgamation of selected nature and event or exposure
categories).
A nursing aide sprains her back from overexertion in lifting a health care patient.
------- ---- ----------------------- -------------------
| | | |
(nature) (part of body) (event or exposure) (source)
Event or exposure. In 2008, three event or exposure categories accounted for 65 percent of the total injuries and illnesses requiring days away from
work: contact with objects and equipment; overexertion; and fall on same level (see table 6). Contact with objects and equipment decreased by 8 percent
and overexertion and fall on the same level each decreased 5 percent.
- Contact with objects and equipment was the most frequent event associated with injuries to laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, and
construction laborers (see table A).
- Of the injuries incurred from contact with objects or equipment, 31 percent were cuts, lacerations, or punctures; 17 percent were bruises or
contusions; and 12 percent were fractures.
- Instances of overexertion accounted for 48 percent of the injuries and illnesses to nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants despite a 9 percent
decrease in cases from 2007.
- Repetitive motion continued to be the event with the highest median days away from work for all private industries with 18 days, two fewer days
than in 2007 (see table 11). Falls to lower level required a median of 15 days away from work to recuperate. Overexertion and falls on the same
level each increased from 9 to 10 median days away from work in 2008.
Table A. Leading event or exposure for selected occupations, 2008
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Selected Occupations | Days away from work cases | Incidence rate per | Leading Event
| | 10,000 full-time workers | (percent of total)
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Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand| 79,590 | 440.3 | Contact with object or equipment (35%), Overexertion (30%)
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer | 57,700 | 362.0 | Overexertion (21%), Contact with object or equipment (20%)
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants | 44,610 | 449.0 | Overexertion (48%), Fall on same level (16%)
Construction laborers | 31,310 | 383.1 | Contact with object or equipment (40%), Overexertion (19%)
Retail salespersons | 28,900 | 90.1 | Contact with object or equipment (27%), Overexertion (26%)
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Nature of injury or illness. In 2008, sprain or strain injuries accounted for 39 percent of total injury and illness cases requiring days away from
work, decreasing 7 percent to 416,620 cases (see table 5). Soreness and pain (including the back) accounted for 11 percent of total cases. The number of
soreness and pain cases did not significantly change from 2007.
- Forty-five percent of sprains or strains were the result of overexertion (see chart B). Bodily reaction (such as bending, reaching, twisting, or
slipping without falling) accounted for another 22 percent and 11 percent were the result of falls on the same level.
- In 40 percent of the sprain and strain cases, the back was injured. In another 25 percent of the cases, a lower extremity (typically the knee or
ankle) was injured.
- Twenty-three percent of sprains and strains occurred to workers in service occupations, decreasing by 4 percent. Workers in production occupations
had a decrease of 7,890 sprains or strains cases, down to 43,970 in 2008.
- While the incidence rate per 10,000 full time workers for sprains and strains decreased in most industries, the rate did not change significantly
from 2007 in utilities (53.0), information (29.4) and real estate and rental and leasing (46.4).
- Workers who sustained fractures or suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome required a median of 28 days to recuperate (see table 11). Amputation
injuries required 26 days in 2008, up from 21 days in 2007. Sprains or strains required 9 median days, up from 8 in 2007.
(Chart B appears here in the printed release.)
Chart B. Sprains and strains by event or exposure and part of body, 2008
Musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), often referred to as ergonomic injuries, accounted for 29 percent of all workplace injuries
and illnesses requiring time away from work in 2008, the same percentage as in 2007. A definition of musculoskeletal disorders can be found on the BLS
website http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshdef.htm.
- There were 317,440 MSDs in 2008 requiring a median of 10 days away from work, two more days than the median for all days-away-from-work cases.
The number of cases declined by 17,950 (5 percent) from 2007, and by 11 percent from 2006. The rate of MSD injuries declined to 33 cases per
10,000 full time workers, from 35 cases in 2007.
- Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of MSD cases with 66,240. In this occupation group, injuries and illnesses
to the shoulder (10,870 cases) and knee (4,260 cases) required a median of 30 days to recuperate. Production occupations and healthcare support
occupations had 42,720 and 29,640 MSD cases respectively (see table B).
- The MSD rate for several industries decreased significantly from last year. The MSD incidence rate for professional and business services
decreased 17 percent to 14 cases per 10,000 workers and the rate for the retail trade industry decreased 10 percent to a rate of 38. Health care
and social assistance decreased 5 percent to a rate of 53.
Table B. Median number of days away from work for injuries involving musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) by occupation group and selected part of body, 2008
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| Total MSDs | Median days away from work by
Major Occupation Group | | Selected Part of Body
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| Case counts Incidence rates | Total Back Shoulder Arm Wrist Knee
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All occupations | 317,440 33 | 10 6 18 17 16 21
Transportation and material moving occupations | 66,240 85 | 12 8 30 27 12 30
Production occupations | 42,720 49 | 13 5 19 15 18 23
Healthcare support occupations | 29,640 110 | 6 5 8 8 6 11
Construction and extraction occupations | 28,880 53 | 11 7 30 45 27 26
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | 27,540 61 | 12 6 19 15 12 52
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Notes
This release is the third in a series of releases from the BLS covering occupational safety and health statistics in 2008. The first release, in August
2009, covered work-related fatalities from the 2008 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. In October 2009, the Survey of Occupational Injuries and
Illnesses (SOII) reported the total recordable cases for occupational injuries and illnesses for 2008. A fourth release of data from the BLS SOII program
is scheduled for early 2010. This release will provide case and demographic data on injury and illness cases requiring days away from work for public
sector workers in State and local governments. Additional background and methodological information regarding the BLS occupational safety and health
program can be found in Chapter 9 of the BLS Handbook of Methods at http://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch9.pdf.
Because of space limitations, this release does not present all the publishable estimates and rates for days-away-from-work cases. Additional detailed
data are available from BLS staff on 202-691-6170, iifstaff@bls.gov, and the BLS Internet site at http://www.bls.gov/iif/home.htm.
