Private Sector Workplace Injuries and Illnesses on the Rise

Last month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published its report on employer-reported workplace injuries and illnesses. This most recent report covers the 2-year period of 2021-2022.

According to BLS, private industry employers reported 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022, up 7.5% from 2021. This increase was driven by the rise in both injuries, up 4.5% to 2.3 million cases, and illnesses up 26.1% to 460,700 cases. The increase in illnesses was driven by the rise in respiratory illness cases, up 35.4% to 365,000 cases in 2022.

Over the 2-year period, BLS reports there were 2.2 million cases involving days away from work (DAFW), representing 66.5% of the total cases involving days away from work, job restriction, or transfer (DART). These cases occurred at an annualized incidence rate of 112.9 cases per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers and required a median of 10 days away from work. Over the same period, there were 1.1 million cases involving days of job transfer or restriction (DJTR), which accounted for 33.5% of total DART cases, and occurred at an annualized rate of 56.9 cases per 10,000 FTE workers. The median days of job transfer or restriction was 15 days over 2021-2022.

“This BLS report doesn’t include figures for the tragic deaths caused by fatal work injuries,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “For 2021, there were 5,190 fatal work injuries in the United States, an increase from the 4,764 in 2020. All of these figures are an important reminder of the role that effective environmental, health, and safety programs can play in protecting workers, and creating a healthy and productive work environment.”

To help in this effort, CTSI’s industrial hygiene and environmental, health, and safety professionals are dedicated to working with employers to prevent accidents, injuries, illnesses, and deaths due to occupational hazards and exposure to harmful substances. They offer workplace assessments, testing, training, and consulting services to identify and mitigate safety issues and exposure risks to infectious agents, chemicals, regulated substances, and radiological threats in accordance with federal, state, and local rules and regulations.

To learn more about CTSI’s EHS and industrial hygiene services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com, or call (212) 971-7016.

About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail