March 31, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Lost-worktime injuries by age

Workers aged 20 to 44 accounted for 65.0 percent of all workers with lost work-time injuries and illnesses in 2001. The share of total hours worked by this age group was 62.9 percent.

Percent distribution of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, by age, 2001
[Chart data—TXT]

The number of lost-time injuries and illnesses decreased among workers aged 20-44 between 2000 and 2001. Nearly every other age group also experienced such a decline. Workers aged 14 to 15 were the only age group that showed an increase in the number of injury and illness cases from 2000 to 2001.

These data are from the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. Additional information is available from "Lost-Worktime Injuries and Illnesses: Characteristics and Resulting Days Away From Work, 2001", news release USDL 03-138.

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