May 01, 2002 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Repetitive motion leads to longest work absences

Repetitive motion, such as grasping tools, scanning groceries, and typing, resulted in the longest absences from work among the leading events and exposures in 2000—a median of 19 days.

[Chart data—TXT]

The median days absent due to repetitive motion had steadily declined from a high of 20 days in 1992 to a low of 15 days in 1998 before increasing to 17 days in 1999 and then to 19 days in 2000.

The next longest median absence in 2000 (11 days) was due to falls to lower levels, followed by transportation accidents (10 days).

These data are a product of the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. Additional information is available from "Lost-Worktime Injuries and Illnesses: Characteristics and Resulting Time Away From Work, 2000", news release USDL 02-196.