November 15, 2005 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)
Age, on-the-job injuries and illnesses, and days away from work
Older workers require more days away from work to recover from a workplace injury or illness
than do their younger counterparts.
[Chart data—TXT]
The median number of days away from work for all workers was 8 days in 2003; for those aged 55-64, it was 12 days, and for those aged 65 and older, it was 18 days.
Older workers have more disabling conditions like fractures and multiple injuries than do younger workers. And similar events lead to more severe injuries in older workers than in others.
Data from the BLS Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities program provide a wide range of information about workplace injuries and illnesses and the demographics of the workers involved. Additional information is available from
"Injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among older
workers," by Elizabeth Rogers and William J. Wiatrowski, Monthly Labor
Review, October 2005.
Of interest
Spotlight on Statistics: National Hispanic Heritage Month
In this Spotlight, we take a look at the Hispanic labor force—including labor force participation, employment and unemployment, educational attainment, geographic location, country of birth, earnings, consumer expenditures, time use, workplace injuries, and employment projections.
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Read more »
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