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Chapter 9.
Occupational Safety and Health Statistics
Uses
and Limitations
National and State policy makers use the survey as an
indicator of the magnitude of occupational safety and
health problems. The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration uses the statistics to help determine
which industries clearly need to improve safety programs
and to measure the effectiveness of the 1970 act in
reducing work-related injuries and illnesses.
Both labor and management use the estimates in
evaluating safety programs. Other users include insurance
carriers involved in workers' compensation, industrial
hygienists, manufacturers of safety equipment,
researchers, and others concerned with job safety and
health.
Many factors can influence counts and rates of
injuries and illnesses in a given year. These include not
only the year's injury and illness experience but also
the employer's understanding of which cases are work
related under current recordkeeping guidelines of the
U.S. Department of Labor. The number of injuries and
illnesses reported in a given year also can be affected
by changes in the level of economic activity, working
conditions and work practices, worker experience and
training, and the number of hours worked.
Each year, the survey measures the number of new
work-related illness cases which are recognized,
diagnosed, and reported. But some conditions, for
example, long-term latent illnesses caused by exposure to
carcinogens, often are difficult to relate to the
workplace and are not adequately recognized and reported.
These long-term latent illnesses are believed to be
understated in the survey. In contrast, the overwhelming
majority of the reported new illnesses are those which
are easier to directly relate to workplace activity
(e.g., contact dermatitis or carpal tunnel syndrome).
Next: Part
II. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
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Bureau of Labor Statistics
