Kansas: Officials tout 10 percent drop in injuries, decline in lost workdays

Workplaces in Kansas are getting safer according to a recent survey that found that nonfatal accidents in private industries dropped nearly 10 percent from 2007 to 2008. The report, produced by the Kansas Department of Labor in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, also found a 6 percent drop in the number of accidents resulting in days away from work over the same time period.

The 2009 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses was based on data recorded from 3,500 randomly selected private and public employers in the state and included information on annual counts and incident rates for nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in the private sector during 2008. Researchers found that an estimated 43,400 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses occurred among private industry workers in 2008, of which, 9,710 required days away from work, with an average of seven days off the job.

"While collected differently, the information in this report and the information gathered by our Division of Workers' Compensation reflect significant decreases in injuries over the year," said Jim Garner, labor secretary for Kansas. "That tells us we're heading in the right direction. Our focus now must be on continuing to drive down the rate of injuries on the job."

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Researchers also found that:

Strains and sprains were the number one cause of injuries. They represented more than one-third of the injuries involving days away from work.
Male workers accounted for a majority of lost time injuries. Men accounted for 69.1 percent of all cases requiring days away from work.
Employees aged 35 to 44 suffered the most injuries and illnesses. These workers accounted for 23.3 percent of injured or ill workers. The 45- to 54-year-old age group and the 25- to 34-year-old age group accounted for 20.8 percent of injuries and illnesses each.
Amputations led to longest absences from job. Injuries resulting in amputations accounted for the longest absences from work, with an average of 42 days. However, these injuries made up just 1 percent of all workplace injuries that involve days away from work among private industries in 2008.
Injuries to truck drivers had the greatest number of lost workdays. Drivers of heavy trucks and tractor-trailers had the highest number of days away from work with 690 cases. They were followed closely by laborers who move freight, stock and materials by hand and construction workers.

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

July 26, 2010

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