December 12, 2011
4th Year Decrease in Work-Related Injuries, Illnesses in 2010
AUSTIN, TX - Private industry employers in Texas reported a 5.8 percent decrease in nonfatal
occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work during 2010 for a total of 56,720.
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work. |
64,700 | 60,240 | 56,720 |
| Incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work per 10,000 full-time employees. |
84.6 | 81.2 | 79.5 |
| Median days away from work. | 8 | 8 | 9 |
The annual Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses revealed that there were 79.5 injuries and illnesses per 10,000 full-time equivalent employees in Texas. This rate was 2.1 percent lower than the rate of 81.2 in 2009 and is below the national rate of 118.
The median days away from work, a key measure of severity of injuries and illnesses, for Texas increased to 9 in 2010 from 8 in 2008 and 2009. This is higher than the 8 median days away from work reported nationally.
The survey is conducted in cooperation with the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (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.
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 on-site safety training; free safety and health publications; free safety training audio-visual 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.texas.gov/wc/safety/index.html, or call 1-800-687-7080.
This is the third TDI-DWC news release in 2011 reporting on 2010 data from the BLS workplace safety and health statistical series. The first news release, in September 2011 covered work-related fatalities from the 2010 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. In November 2011, BLS reported that there were 189,841 nonfatal injuries and illnesses in Texas, in 2010. The data are based on the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses with a sample of approximately 10,000 Texas employers. To view the full report on 2010 industry, demographic, occupation and case characteristics and specific data charts
and tables, visit the TDI website at www.tdi.texas.gov/wc/safety/sis/index.html.
For more information contact:
Last updated: 12/13/2011
