Workplace Injuries Reduce in 2007

On October 23, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) issued a report indicating that private industry employers have succeeded in reducing workplace injuries in 2007.

According to the BLS, approximately 4 million work-related injuries and illness occurred in 2007, a rate of 4.2 nonfatal injuries for each 100 full-time employees. Compared with 4.1 million cases altogether and 4.4 cases per 100 employees in 2006, that is a reduction of 4.5%. This is the fifth consecutive year that the rate of workplace injuries and illnesses declined.

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., said, “The injury and illness results demonstrate that OSHA’s balanced approach to workplace safety encompassing education, training, information sharing, inspection, regulation and aggressive enforcement is achieving significant reductions in workplace injury and illness throughout the country. This report shows that employees are now safer in the workplace than ever before. This success validates our efforts, and we are redoubling this commitment to make workplaces even safer.”

“The 21 percent decline in the workplace injury and illness rate over the past 6 years, and the 4.5 percent decline over the past year, show the effectiveness of the strategy of targeted enforcement coupled with prevention through compliance assistance to promote a culture of safety at the workplace,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.
Safety figures for 2008 will not be released until November 2009.