Wisconsin Nonfatal Work Injuries Decline in 2015

diff-types-of-workers_shutterstock_241319935_webAccording to estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), there were 78,800 total injuries and illnesses reported by Wisconsin employers in 2015, which occurred at a rate of 3.6 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers. This is a decline from 4.0 in 2013 and 2014.  Nationwide, the total injury and illness case rate declined from 3.4 to 3.3 per 100 full-time workers.

Background:     

SOII is the largest work injury data survey conducted nationwide. The Wisconsin Bureau of Labor Statistics program collects data annually from a representative sample of 6,000 establishments, with a 97% survey response rate.

Key findings:*

  • Private industry incident rates fell from 3.9 to 3.6. State and local government total injury rate decreased from 4.7 cases per 100 full time workers to 4.2. (see chart 1).
  • All general industry sectors (excl. information) show a decline in total injury rates from the prior year. (see chart 2).
  • An equal proportion of worker injuries required time off or job restrictions to recuperate (39,600) and other recordable injuries which required medical treatment only (39,200).
  • Public sector sub-industries with the highest injury rates include: State nursing and residential care facilities (15.7), Local transit and ground passenger transportation (8.0), and Local heavy and civil engineering (6.6). (see chart 3).
  • Private sector sub-industries with the highest injury rates include: Couriers and messengers (9.7), Nonmetallic mineral manufacturing (7.9), Wood product manufacturing (7.1), Nursing and residential care facilities (6.9), Primary metal manufacturing (6.8), and Fabricated metal manufacturing (6.6).

*For charts and tables of Wisconsin data, go to www.slh.wisc.edu/bls. Data for case circumstances and worker characteristics will be available online mid-November.

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, a part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is the state’s public, environmental and occupational health laboratory. The WSLH’s Bureau of Labor Statistics/Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Unit have a cooperative agreement with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to conduct their annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in Wisconsin.