State’s workplace injuries, illnesses remain historically low
The Indiana Dept. of Labor recently released the state’s results from the 2019 Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses report, which shows Hoosier workplace injuries and illnesses have continued to remain at a historical low for eight years in a row.
The report measures incidents of non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses on an annual basis. Indiana’s non-fatal occupational injury and illness tied with the 2018 historic low rate of 3.3 per 100 full-time workers.
The 2019 report marks the eighth consecutive year the injury and illness rate has been at or below 4.0. The injury and illness rate has decreased by 71% since the all-time high of 11.3 injuries or illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 1994.
“Indiana has a strong culture of workplace safety and health,” Joe Hoage, commissioner of labor, said. “The state’s occupational injury and illness rate remains at the historic low because of Hoosier employers prioritizing worker well-being. The entire state benefits from proactive safety and health in the workplace, and we must maintain due diligence.”
The report finds that nine Hoosier industries experienced decreases in the non-fatal workplace injury and illness rate.
Educational services experienced a 42.86% decrease from a rate of 2.8 in 2018 to 1.6 in 2019. This is the largest percentage of decrease in rate in any industry for 2019. The Hoosier manufacturing industry experienced nearly a 10% decrease from 4.1 in 2018 to 3.7 per 100 full-time workers. The information industry had the largest percentage increase of 81.82%, from a rate of 1.1 in 2018 to a rate of 2.0 in 2019. Local Government rate also increased by 15.22%, from the 2018 rate of 4.6 to the 2019 rate of 5.3.
