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LABOR NEWS
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| By Omar D. Davis, Director Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations |
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Wanda Seeney (573) 751-7500 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 30, 2007
Missouri’s Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Decrease Significantly in 2006
Jefferson City, MO – A total of 89,000 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses were recorded in Missouri private industry in 2006. That figure is down significantly by 13.3 percent from the 102,600 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses recorded in 2005. The incidence rate (number of injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers) for total recordable cases of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in Missouri private industry in 2006 also decreased significantly by 13.0 percent. The 2006 rate decreased from 5.4 in 2005 to 4.7 in 2006.
“My administration is working to enhance Missouri’s economy and workforce by providing employers the tools they need to grow in Missouri,” Gov. Matt Blunt said. "I want Missouri's workplaces to be as safe as possible for our workers. This significant decline in workplace injuries will help enhance Missouri’s productivity and economic growth.”
The study was administered by the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Research and Analysis Section in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, which released its nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses data obtained through the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. The Bureau used the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to record the data.
Goods-producing industries, such as natural resources, construction, and manufacturing, as a whole had an incidence rate of 6.1 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers in 2006. This rate is significantly less (19.7 percent) than the 2005 rate of 7.6. The goods-producing industry sectors with the highest incidence rate were agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (NAICS 11) and manufacturing (NAICS 31-33) at 6.8 each. The rate for manufacturing was significantly decreased (15.0 percent) from the 2005 rate of 8.0. Framing contractors (NAICS 23813) was the goods-producing industry with the highest incidence rate in 2006 at 11.4. This rate was not significantly different from the 2005 rate.
Service-providing industries, such as retail trade, transportation, health care, leisure and hospitality, as a whole, had an incidence rate of 4.2 per 100 equivalent full-time workers in 2006. The service-providing industry sector with the highest incidence rate was utilities (NAICS 22) with a rate of 6.9. Air transportation (NAICS 481) was the service-providing industry with the highest incidence rate in 2006 at 10.1. These rates were not significantly different from the corresponding 2005 rates.
Occupational injury and illness data are randomly collected from approximately 5,400 Missouri employers each year. Additional case and demographic data related to these nonfatal injuries and illnesses will be released next month by the U.S. Department of Labor. This information will provide the nature of the injury or illness, part of body affected, source of injury or illness, and event or exposure that caused the injury or illness. In addition, worker demographics, such as race, age and sex will be provided.
For more information regarding this survey, please visit www.dolir.mo.gov/lmi/index.htm or www.bls.gov/iif. Or, call the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Research and Analysis Section at (573) 751-9677.
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