BLS Reports Private-Industry Recordable Case Rate Declined Slightly in 2017
The 2017 rate of total recordable cases was 2.8 per 100 FTE workers, down from 2.9 the year before.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics last week published its first of two releases on 2017 occupational safety and health statistics. In the first one, BLS reported there were about 2.8 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses in private industry during 2017, with 882,730 of them resulting in days away from work -- a number that was basically unchanged from 2016, according to the release.
The 2017 rate of total recordable cases improved slightly. In 2017, it was 2.8 cases per 100 FTE workers, down from 2.9 the year before.
Among the 19 private industry sectors, only manufacturing and finance and insurance experienced statistically significant changes in their overall rates of non-fatal injuries and illnesses in 2017, with both declining by 0.1 cases per 100 FTE workers.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) accounted for 34 percent of the days away from work cases in manufacturing during 2017, with a rate of 31.4 cases per 10,000 FTE workers -- an improvement from 2016's rate of 32.9.
Hospitals recorded 51,380 days away from work cases for an incidence rate of 129.8 cases per 10,000 FTE workers, also an improvement from 2016's raate of 134.3. Incidence rates for days away from work cases attributed to overexertion/bodily reaction and same-level falls decreased, according to the release.
The second release will be published in December 2018 and will provide results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for all fatal work injuries in the United States during 2017.