Nonfatal Injuries
BLS estimates that total recordable occupational injuries (which include fatalities before 1992) reached a high of 6.4 million cases in 1990 then declined to a low of 4.9 million injuries in 2001 (Figure 2–69). Nonfatal injuries represented 93.6% of the 5.2 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses reported in 2001. Injury incidence rates (which include fatalities before 1992) declined 39% during 1976–2001, from 8.9 cases per 100 full-time workers in 1976 to 5.4 cases in 2001 (Figure 2–70). This decline is reflected in cases without lost workdays (19.6% reduction) and in cases involving days away from work (19.5% reduction). The increasing number and rate of injury cases with restricted work activity continued: the number of cases increased 8.7-fold and the rates increased 4-fold.
NIOSH, in collaboration with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, collects information about nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses treated in hospital emergency departments. In 1999, an estimated 3.9 million occupational injuries and illnesses were treated in hospital emergency departments among all industry and occupation groups for workers aged 15 and older. The highest rates of these occupational injuries and illnesses occurred among workers aged 15–24 (Figure 2–71). Male workers aged 15 and older accounted for two-thirds or 2.7 million of all occupational injuries and illnesses treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments (Figure 2–72). Among the treated workers for whom race/ethnicity was known, 2.46 million or 78.3% were white, non-Hispanic; 459,000 or 14.6% were black, non-Hispanic; and 225,000 or 7.1% were Hispanic. Race/ethnicity was unknown for a large portion of the workers treated in hospital emergency departments (Figure 2–73).
By private industry sector in 2001, incidence rates for nonfatal occupational injuries ranged from a low of 1.5 per 100 full-time workers in finance, insurance, and real estate to a high of 7.8 in construction (Figure 2–74). Other industry sectors exceeding the private-sector rate included manufacturing (7.0, or 1.2 million cases), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (7.0, or 104,400 cases), transportation and public utilities (6.6, or 436,900 cases), and retail trade (5.5, or 964,200 cases). During 1976–2001, construction and manufacturing reported higher rates of total cases than other private industry sectors (Figure 2–75), and construction had higher rates for lost-workday cases (Figure 2–76); manufacturing reported more cases of restricted work activity only (Figure 2–77).
Magnitude and Trend
How many workers suffered injuries during 1976–2001?
 | Figure 2-69 Number of occupational injury cases by type of case in private industry, 1976-2001. The number of total recordable occupational injuries reached a high of 6.4 million cases in 1990 then declined to a low of 4.9 million in 2001. Injury cases with restricted work activity only increased steadily after 1976, reaching a high of 944,100 cases in 2001. (Note: Data before 1992 include fatalities.) (Source: BLS [2002].) |
How did the rates of occupational injuries change during 1976–2001?
 | Figure 2-70 Incidence rates of injury cases by type of case in private industry, 1976-2001. The incidence rate for total recordable occupational injuries reached a high of 9.2 cases per 100 full-time workers in 1979 then declined to a low of 5.4 per 100 full-time workers in 2001. Injury rates for cases with restricted work activity only increased steadily from a rate of 0.2 per 100 full-time workers in 1976 to 1.0 in 2001. (Note: Data before 1992 include fatalities.) (Source: BLS [2002].) |
Age
How did nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses treated in hospital emergency departments differ by age of worker in 1999?
 | Figure 2-71 Number and rate of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses treated in hospital emergency departments, by age of worker, 1999. An estimated 3.9 million occupational injuries and illnesses were treated in hospital emergency departments among all industry and occupation groups for workers aged 15 and older. The highest numbers of these injuries and illnesses occurred among workers aged 25-44, and the highest rates were among workers aged 15-24. The overall rate was 3.0 per 100 full-time workers. (Sources: NEISS [2003]; Jackson [2003].) |
Sex
How did nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses treated in hospital emergency departments differ by sex of worker in 1999?
 | Figure 2-72 Number and rate of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments, by sex of worker, 1999. Two-thirds (or 2.7 million) of all occupational injuries and illnesses treated in hospital emergency departments occurred among male workers aged 15 and older. However, the disparity between male and female workers was not as great when comparing incidence rates (2.2 versus 3.5 per 100 full-time workers). (Sources: NEISS [2003]; Jackson [2003].) |
Race/Ethnicity
How did nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses treated in hospital emergency departments differ by race/ethnicity in 1999?
 | Figure 2-73 Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses treated in hospital emergency departments, by race/ethnicity, 1999. Among workers of known race/ethnicity treated in hospital emergency departments, 2,464,000 or 78.3% were white, non-Hispanic; 459,000 or 14.6% were black, non-Hispanic; and 225,000 or 7.1% were Hispanic. Race/ethnicity was unknown for a large portion of the workers treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments. (Sources: NEISS [2003]; Jackson [2003].) |
How did the rate of nonfatal occupational injuries differ by private industry sector in 2001?
 | Figure 2-74 Incidence rate of total nonfatal occupational injury cases by private industry sector, 2001. The private sector reported a total injury incidence rate of 5.4 per 100 full-time workers in 2001. Rates exceeding the private-sector rate were reported for construction (7.8 per 100 full-time workers or 474,500 cases), manufacturing (7.0 per 100 full-time workers or 1.2 million cases), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (7.0 per 100 full-time workers or 104,400 cases), transportation and public utilities (6.6 per 100 full-time workers or 436,900 cases), and retail trade (5.5 per 100 full-time workers or 964,200 cases). (Source: BLS [2002].) |
Industry
How did the rates of occupational injuries change by private industry sector during 1976–2001?
 | Figure 2-75 Incidence rates of total occupational injury cases by private industry sector, 1976-2001. Incidence rates of total occupational injury cases declined for each major industry sector during 1976-2001. With the general decline in rates, the high-to-low rate ratio narrowed from 7.9 in 1976 to 5.2 in 2001. Two industry sectors (construction and manufacturing) had consistently higher rates than most other sectors during the 25-year period. (Note: Data before 1992 include fatalities.) (Source: BLS [2002].) |
How did the rates of lost-workday cases change by private industry sector during 1976–2001?
 | Figure 2-76 Incidence rates of lost-workday injury cases by private industry sector, 1976-2001. The incidence rates for recordable lost-workday injuries varied among industry sectors, with the high-to-low rate ratio narrowing from 8.1 in 1976 to 6.0 in 2001. Three industry sectors (construction, manufacturing, and transportation and public utilities) had consistently higher rates than other sectors during 1976-2001. (Source: BLS [2002].) |
How did the rates of injuries with restricted work activity only change by private industry sector during 1992–2001?
 | Figure 2-77 Incidence rates of injury cases with restricted work activity only by private industry sector, 1992-2001. During this 10-year period, the incidence rate for cases of restricted work activity only increased for each major industry sector. The highest rates were reported for manufacturing, ranging from a low of 1.5 per 100 full-time workers in 1992 to a high of 2.1 in 1998 and 2000. The lowest rates (0.1 to 0.2 per 100 full-time workers) were reported for finance, insurance, and real estate. (Source: BLS [2002].) |
