OSHA Releases 2022 Injury and Illness Data

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recently released its injury and illness data for the year 2022. The report provides valuable insights into workplace safety and the most common causes of injuries and illnesses in the United States. In this article, we will take a closer look at the key findings from the report, the industries with the highest injury and illness rates, and what steps employers can take to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.

Key Findings from the OSHA 2022 Injury and Illness Data Report

According to the report, there were approximately 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2022. This translates to a rate of 2.5 cases per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers. The report also revealed that there were 5,871 fatal work injuries in 2022, which is a slight decrease from the previous year.

The most common causes of workplace injuries and illnesses were overexertion and bodily reaction, followed by slips, trips, and falls. These two categories alone accounted for more than 50% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses.

Another notable finding from the report was that healthcare and social assistance, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade were the industries with the highest rates of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses.

Industries with the Highest Injury and Illness Rates

As mentioned, healthcare and social assistance, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade had the highest rates of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022. Healthcare and social assistance had a rate of 5.9 cases per 100 FTE workers, while transportation and warehousing had a rate of 5.0 and retail trade had a rate of 3.9.

Within the healthcare and social assistance industry, nursing and residential care facilities had the highest rate of injuries and illnesses, while within the transportation and warehousing industry, couriers and messengers had the highest rate.

Preventing Workplace Injuries and Illnesses

Employers can take several steps to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, including:

1. Conducting regular safety training for all employees
2. Identifying and addressing potential hazards in the workplace
3. Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees when necessary
4. Encouraging employees to report any injuries or illnesses immediately
5. Investigating all workplace incidents to determine the root cause and prevent future incidents

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