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December 21, 2009
For Second Year, Texas Reports Decrease in Number of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Off Work
AUSTIN, TX - In October 2009, the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC) reported 234,559 total cases of nonfatal injuries and illnesses in Texas in 2008, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. TDI-DWC is now reporting the circumstances of those injuries and illnesses that involved days away from work (DAFW), as well as the characteristics of the employees involved.
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Table A. Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, private industry, 2006-2008 | ||||
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Texas |
National | |||
|
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2008 | |
|
Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work (1) |
72,660 |
69,320 |
64,700 |
1,100,000 |
|
Incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work (2) |
104.4 |
94.3 |
84.6 |
113 |
|
Median days away from work (3) |
8 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
Private industry employers in Texas reported a total of 64,700 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving DAFW for 2008. This is a 6.7 percent decrease from the 69,320 cases reported in 2007. The survey revealed that there were 84.6 injuries and illnesses per 10,000 full-time equivalent workers in Texas. This rate was 9.7 percent lower than the rate of 94.3 in 2007 and is lower than the national rate of 113.
The median for days away from work – a key measure of severity of injuries and illnesses – for Texas in 2008 was 8, which is lower than the median of 9 days away from work for 2007 and the same as the median for days away from work reported nationally.
The annual BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses is conducted in cooperation with the TDI-DWC. The TDI-DWC collects survey data in order to assist employers, safety professionals and policymakers in identifying occupational safety and health issues in the state. This is the first time public sector data has been collected and released through this survey. To view 2008 industry, demographic, occupation, and case characteristics specific data, charts and tables, visit the TDI website at: http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/safety/sis/index.html.
The TDI-DWC also provides various safety and health services to promote safe and healthy workplaces, including free safety and health consultations on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations; regional and onsite safety training; free safety and health publications; free safety training video loans; guidance on return-to-work programs and drug-free workplace programs; and the Safety Violations Hotline. For more information on these services, visit the TDI website at http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/safety/index.html, or call 800-687-7080.
The TDI-DWC will resume releasing more in-depth injury and illness analysis in January 2010, via the quarterly newsletter supplement, Safety by the Numbers. Additional Texas fatal and nonfatal occupational injury and illness data are available by calling 512-804-4651, e-mailing InjuryAnalysis@tdi.state.tx.us or visiting our website at http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/safety/sis/index.html.
Details about the national BLS injury and illness data can be found at: http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshsum.htm.
1) “Days away from work” cases include those that result in days away from work with or without job transfer or restriction.
2) “Incidence rates” represent the number of injuries and illnesses per 10,000 full-time employees and were calculated as:
(N / EH) X 20,000,000 where, N=number of injuries and illnesses, EH=total hours worked by all employees during the calendar year, 20,000,000=base for 10,000 full-time equivalent workers (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year).
3) “Median days away from work” is the measure used to summarize the varying lengths of absences from work among the cases with days away from work. Half of the cases involved more days and half involved less days than a specified median. Median days away from work are represented in actual values.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 24, 2009.
For more information contact:
Last updated: 12/22/2009
This file is historical in nature. Links and contact information may be outdated and no longer valid.
