The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports on the number of workplace injuries and illnesses there are each year. These numbers are a reflection of the past, but can be used as a warning of sorts for injuries and illnesses to come. The most recent data that the BLS has is from 2021 and as 2022 winds down we will get a better picture of what this year looked like from a Connecticut workers’ compensation standpoint, but until then the numbers from 2021 are instructive.
Workplace injuries and illnesses have been on the rise in recent years, partly due to COVID-19. In 2021, many of the illness related reports declined significantly due to the increased availability of vaccines for the COVID-19 virus which employers reported was a large reason for a steady increase in 2020 of illnesses reported. In 2021, the number of illness cases dropped by almost 20 per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers from 55.9 per 10,000 FTE in 2020 to just 37.7 per 10,000 FTE in 2021.
While illness cases declined in 2021 the number of injuries reported to the BLS increased from 2.2 per 100 FTE in 2020 to 2.3 per 100 FTE in 2021. This seemingly small increase in workplace injuries was offset by the decrease in illnesses to bring the overall numbers reported to the BLS in 2021 down by 1.8 percent to 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses.
Some other statistics from the annual report included;
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There were 1,062,700 workplace injuries or illnesses in 2021 that caused an employee to miss at least one day of work. This number was down 9.7 percent from 2020.
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The largest increase in workplace injuries or illnesses across industries were seen in the retail trade and transportation and warehousing industries.
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Health care and social assistance was the only industry that had an overall decline in numbers between 2020 and 2021. There were almost 200,000 less injuries and illnesses reported in this industry to put the total at 623,000 for the year.
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The sector that saw a dramatic increase in respiratory illnesses in 2021 was the private educational services sector which increased by nearly 150 percent between 2020 and 2021.
There is a lot of dense information in this report, but it is worthwhile to look and see how your industry fared in 2021 and what that means as the numbers come out for 2022 over the next few months. These numbers can be a cautionary tale that can help you avoid a Connecticut workers’ compensation injury in the coming months and years. These numbers are in no way predictive of what is to come in the next few years, but they can help identify where injuries and illnesses are most prevalent so you can continue to be proactive in your field.
If you find yourself working in a situation where you experience an injury you may need to speak with a board certified attorney who can work with you to protect your long-term interests. Contact our office to speak with someone today.
