Lost workday injuries statistics

The two studies by Viscusi cited in Table 2-1 have used the identical empirical method to determine deterrence effects of OSHA inspections and penalties, but have come to different conclusions. The first found no significant impact from OSHA enforcement activities while the second discovered the frequency of inspections reduced both injuries and lost workdays. Because the results showed no evidence of increasing OSHA effectiveness over time, Viscusi credited the two studies varying levels of statistical significance to the differing sample sizes. With more years to examine the later Viscusi study was able to detect a statistically significant, but fairly small, impact from OSHA enforcement efforts. At most, from 1973 to 1983 OSHA inspections lowered the frequency of lost workday injuries by 1.5-3.6 percent. 

As reviewed by Karwowski and Marras (1997), work-related musculoskeletal disorders currently account for one-third of aU occupational injuries and illnesses reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by employers every year. These disorders thus constitute the largest job-related injury and illness problem in the United States today. According to OSHA (1999), in 1997 employers reported a total of 626,000 lost workday disorders to the BLS, and these disorders accounted for 1 of every 3 spent for workers compensation in that year. Employers pay more than 15-20 billion in workers compensation costs for these disorders every year, and other expenses associated with MSDs may increase this total to 45-54 billion a year. 

This database focuses on work-related personal injury and illness and property damage (including that due to the operation of motor vehicles). There is a general tabular breakdown relative to individual contractors however, there is no detail as to the specific types of work or the assumed risk inherent in these particular types of work. This is an old database which was established to collect statistics for the U.S. Department of Labor. An important aspect is that the data is reported on a normalized per unit of work (200,000 person hours) basis which facilitates gross comparisons between and within industries. To emphasize the general nature of the CAIRS database, Total Injury and Illness Incidences Rates and Lost Workday Incidence Rates are depicted in Figures 4 and 5, respectively. 

The number of injuries, illnesses, or lost workdays related to a common exposure base of 100 full-time workers as used by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The common exposure base enables one to make accurate inter-industry comparisons, trend analysis over time, or comparisons among firms regardless of size. This rate is calculated as IR = (N/EH) X 200,000, where N is number of injuries and/or dlnesses or lost work days, EH is total hours worked by all employees during the calendar year, and 200,000 is the base for 100 full-time equivalent workers (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year). 

Companies and federal officials frequently utilize the following statistical pieces of information designed to allow the company to compare its safety and health performance with others the incident rate, illness rate, lost workday cases rate or severity rate, and restricted workday case rate. These rates, respectively, answer the questions of How often or frequently are accidents occurring and How bad are the injuries/illnesses that are occurring The number of times that occupational injuries/illnesses happen is the determinant for the incident rate, while the number of days away from work (lost-time workdays) or restricted workdays are the prime indicator of the severity rate. Both of these rates provide unique information regarding your safety and health effort. 

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