Days away from work highest for carpal tunnel syndrome

Among major disabling workplace injuries and illnesses in 1999, median days away from work were highest for cases of carpal tunnel syndrome.

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Median days away from work—the key measure of severity for occupational injuries and illnesses—designates the point at which half the cases involved more days and half involved fewer days. For carpal tunnel syndrome the median was 27 days. This was followed by fractures (20 days) and amputations (18 days).

These data are a product of the BLS Safety and Health Statistics program. Additional information is available from "Lost-Worktime Injuries and Illnesses: Characteristics and Resulting Time Away From Work, 1999", news release USDL 01-71.