Wisconsin Nonfatal Work Injury and Illness Rate Decreases in 2017

According to estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Survey of Occupational injuries and Illnesses (SOII), there were 82,400 total injuries and illnesses reported by Wisconsin employers in 2017, a slight decrease from the 82,700 total injuries and illnesses reported for 2016. The rate of injury and illness fell from 3.8 in 2016 to 3.7 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers. Nationally, the total recordable case rate declined from 3.2 cases in 2016 to 3.1 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2017.

Background
SOII is the largest work injury data survey conducted nationwide. The Wisconsin BLS program collects data annually from a representative sample of 6,000 establishments, with a 94% survey response rate.

WI 2017 Summary Key Findings:*

  • Private industry incident rate decreased from 3.7 to 3.6. State and local government total incident rate remained consistent at 4.1. (See Chart 1)
  • Trade, transportation and utilities, professional and business services, leisure, entertainment and hospitality, and other services (excluding public administration) sectors show increases in rates from the prior year; other industries remained constant or showed lower rates. (See Chart 2)
  • The total recordable cases (82,400) and number of days away from work cases (22,800) decreased from last year while cases with job transfer or restriction increased by 1,200 to 18,700 cases and other recordable cases remained constant at 40,800.
  • State-owned nursing care and residential facilities had the highest rate of injury of any sub-industry in the public or private sectors. (See Chart 3)
  • Private sector sub-industries with the highest injury rates include: Miscellaneous store retailers (8.8), Couriers and messengers (8.2), and Crop production (8.1). (See Chart 3)
  • After 5 years remaining constant at 7 days away, the median days away decreased to 6 days among days away from work cases in 2017.

*For charts and tables of Wisconsin data, including case and demographic profiles, go to www.slh.wisc.edu/bls.

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.