BLS releases third report on 2013 injury data; same-level falls up

Washington – The rate of fall injuries leading to days away from work increased in 2013, according to data released Dec. 16 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Falls on the same level occurred at a rate of 15.4 per 10,000 full-time private-sector workers in 2013, up from 14.8 in 2012. The construction, wholesale trade, and transportation and warehousing industries in particular saw a jump in fall-related injury rates.

The data is part of the annual BLS report on nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work. The overall incidence rate in 2013 for injuries requiring time away from work was 109.4 per 10,000 full-time employees, down from 111.8 in 2012. For private industry alone, the rate was 99.9 – statistically unchanged from the previous year.

Other key points from the report:

• One-third of all injury and illness cases were musculoskeletal disorders.
• The rate of violence-related injuries requiring days away from work in health care and social assistance (16.2) increased for the second year in a row.
• Incidence rates for private-sector heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers increased to 322.8 from 279.6 in 2012.

This is the final of three reports released on 2013 injury and illness data. Its release was delayed following the discovery of data processing errors. The errors were limited primarily to national-level estimates for private-sector industries for 2011 and 2012, and BLS issued corrected data in November.