BLS: Nonfatal Workplace Injuries Increased in 2021, but Illnesses Dropped Significantly
By Safety + Health
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workplace injuries in the private sector rose last year, but a decrease in COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses contributed to a decline in the combined number of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses. Nonfatal injuries among private-sector workers totaled an estimated 2.2 million in 2021, up from 2.1 million in 2020, with the rate of nonfatal injuries rising to 2.3 per 100 full-time equivalent workers from 2.2 over the same period. Meanwhile, nonfatal illnesses totaled 365,200 last year, down from 544,600 in 2020, with the number of recorded respiratory illnesses falling to 269,600 from 428,700. The pre-pandemic total was 10,800 in 2019. Overall, nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses totaled 2.6 million in 2021, down 1.8% from 2020, and the rate of total recordable cases held steady at 2.7 per 100 full-time equivalent workers. The highest rate of nonfatal injuries, 4.3 per 100 full-time workers, was recorded by the transportation and warehousing and the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industries. The highest rate of workplace illnesses, 115.9 per 10,000 full-time workers was recorded in the health care and social assistance sectors.
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