Specific Work Accident Dangers Highlighted in 2023 OSHA Work Accident Study
This week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a new study compiling its work accident injury data in a new publication, “Seven-Year Lookback Report.” OSHA announced on November 17, 2023:
Our new Seven-Year Lookback Report summarizes work-related severe injuries such as amputations and inpatient hospitalizations reported from employers covered under federal OSHA from 2015 to 2021.
OSHA Work Injuries Lookback Report: 2015 – 2021
Entitled Severe Injury Report: A Seven Year Lookback (“Report”), the new online study is provided for free in a seventeen-page document that explains it is a “…summary of employer-reported inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, and eye losses from 2015 – 2021.” Report, page 1.
Things to consider at the outset:
The Report is not complete. OSHA makes it clear that its research is limited and “…covers approximately half of U.S. workers.” Report, page 2. Data for injuries and hazards faced by (1) private sector employees in State Plans; (2) state employees; and (3) municipal employees are not included. Accordingly, OSHA points out that these findings involve around 50% of the entire U.S. workforce. Report, page 3.
The Report is limited in scope. The Report covers the seven-year time period for the reporting years 2015 through 2021. Within that time frame, it details severe worker injuries that were reported to OSHA by employers categorized by (1) industry; (2) location; and (3) type of injury. The Report admittedly focuses upon “…select injuries and illnesses.” Report, page 3.
The Report includes the 2019-2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. Shutdowns and lowered employment due to the pandemic “…likely contributed toward the 20% decrease from 2019 to 2020 due to shutdowns or changes to employment status for millions of workers.” Report, page 4.
The Report seeks to boost worker safety. OSHA’s reason for creating this new report is to promote greater worker safety on the job. Its targeted readers are those in positions to protect workers at risk of injury from known risks on that particular industrial worksite. From OSHA:
Every year, thousands of workers in the United States are injured on the job, sometimes with permanent injuries or disabilities…. OSHA has resources to help employers and workers prevent injuries on the job. Learn about the most commonly reported severe injuries reported in your industry and how you can prevent these injuries from happening at your workplace by identifying and controlling hazards. Report, page 2.
Most Dangerous Industries in the OSHA Report
Within the research findings are worker injury reports organized by industry. Overall, the three most dangerous industries for workers are (1) manufacturing; (2) construction; and (3) transportation and warehousing. Report page 4, Table 1.
However, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas exploration had the highest injury rate per full time workers. Of note, these numbers may be low since OSHA points out that it does not receive injury reports from the mining industry. Those go to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Report page 4.
Illinois in the OSHA Report
Illinois is included in the Report. Indiana is not. From the Report, we learn the following regarding worker dangers in the State of Illinois, showing calendar year and number of reported injuries (Report page 6, Table 2):
- 2015 – 609
- 2016 – 640
- 2017 – 628
- 2018 – 666
- 2019 – 662
- 2020 – 488
- 2021 – 531
- Total: 4,224.
Only six states reported higher total work injuries than Illinois.
Work Accident Injuries: Most Often Injured Body Parts
The Report also warns workers, and those responsible of their safety, of the body parts most at risk of injury in an on-the-job accident. According to OSHA data, upper extremities are more likely to be injured than lower extremities.
Bodily injuries involving arms, hands, or fingers were involved in 40% of the worker injuries reported to the agency. Shockingly, fingertips were harmed in “over a fourth of all upper extremity injuries.”
Workers suffered damage to their legs, feet, or toes in 20% of the reported work accidents. Legs were involved here in 23% of all the lower extremity injuries. Report page 8, Table 3.
Other serious bodily harm was reported which regularity involved: (1) trunk (13%); (2) multiple body parts (9%); (3) head (7%); (4) body systems (5%); (4) other body parts (5%); and (5) neck/throat (1%). Report page 8, page 3.
Work Accident Amputations
Amputations are one of the tragic worker injuries focused upon by the Report. OSHA received reports of 18,559 amputations involving industrial work accidents from 2015 to 2021. Report, page 3.
Over half of all amputations (55.2%) happened to those employed in the manufacturing industry. Construction workers suffered the loss of a body part by amputation in 10.5% of work accidents, ranking second in overall industrial amputation reports. Report page 3.
Most Dangerous Work Accidents: Leading Causes of Worker Injuries
How these injuries happened is also discussed in the Report. Caught-in accidents and falls were the most common types of work accidents. From the Report page 8:
Body parts being caught in running equipment or machinery (12,930, 18%) and falls (10,485, 15%) were the most frequently cited causes of severe injuries from 2015 to 2021.
Caught-In Between Accidents
The industries with the most caught-in between accidents were (1) manufacturing and (2) wholesale trade, with manufacturing workers alone facing a whopping 69% rate of injury for this type of work accident. Within manufacturing, the workers with the highest risk of a caught in-between accident were employed in plastic product manufacturing. Report page 9.
Most of these caught in-between accidents involved the traumatic amputation of a worker’s body part (finger, arm, etc.). Report page 9.
Falls
Workers facing the greatest risk of a fall accident were employed in the construction or manufacturing industries. Almost a third (31%) of all fall accidents happened to construction workers, with 22% of fall injuries reported by those employed in manufacturing endeavors. Most of these falls involved bodily injuries with multiple fractures, concussions, or death. Report page 9.
Of note, OSHA confirms that “…falls are the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries in all industries.” Report page 9.
Report Spotlight: Warehousing and Storage
The Report dedicates a significant focus to dangers facing those working in the Warehousing and Storage industry. Described as “…a fast-paced, growing industry where several hazards may be present,” OSHA points out that workers here face workplace dangers that include:
- industrial trucks (forklifts)
- ergonomics
- material handling
- hazardous chemicals
- slips/trips/falls
- robotics.
The most common work accident in the warehousing industry cited in the Report involved caught in-between accidents (approximately 20% of reported injuries). Report page 12.
The Report notes that in July 2023, OSHA announced a National Emphasis Program on Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations. Report page 12.
Worker Dangers Are Much Greater Than Revealed in the OSHA Report
We know that too many workers are being hurt in preventable accidents on the job. OSHA found that dozens of worker injuries were reported every day of the year to OSHA. In 2018, there was the highest daily injury reporting (31 per day) and the latest year, 2021, totaled 24 reports per day. Report page 4.
This is unacceptably high for workers devoting their day to helping employers, companies, and corporations to build revenue streams and make a profit. However, for safety agencies and those advocating for worker victims, the realities are even more concerning.
1. Coverage of the Report
First of all, the Report admittedly does not cover all the states and all the workers. Indiana is not detailed in this Report, for instance.
2. Underreporting of Injuries in Report Data
Another stark fact from the Report is the recognition of underreporting of work-related injuries by those included within the data. From the Report page 6:
OSHA recognizes that these totals are significantly underreported. Average annual SIR rates by state per 100,000 FTE workers should be interpreted carefully. Although researchers have estimated how much occupational severe injury and illness underreporting occurs, it is unknown how underreporting varies across states and industries; over time; by injury type; or by employer size (e.g., <10 employees vs 100 or more).
Accordingly, all readers of the new OSHA Severe Injury Report: A Seven Year Lookback should welcome this new contribution to the efforts in making our workers safe on the job. It is a worthwhile effort. But it is limited by its own admissions.
Claims for Justice for Workers Hurt on the Job in Illinois or Indiana
All workers and their loved ones must know that the risks of being hurt or killed in today’s industrial workplace is very high. The danger for those working in construction, manufacturing, and warehousing is particularly great.
Employers and others with possession, custody, or control of aspects of the job site are continuing to disregard or disrespect the need for worker safety and people are being hurt or killed as a result. For these worker victims and their loved ones, the sad truth is that the law works to protect them more efficiently after the accident in claims for workers compensation, negligence, premises liability, defective product law, and more.
For more:
- Workers Beware: BLS Reports Highest US Worker Death Rate in 5 Years
- The Reality of Widespread Industrial Work Accident Deaths in Illinois and Indiana: Warning to Our Workers
- Alarming Rise in Miner Deaths on the Job in 2023, Warns MSHA
- Wrongful Death Damages After Fatal Work Accidents in Illinois or Indiana
- Traumatic Amputations in Industrial Accidents
- Caught In-Between Hazards: One of OSHA’s “Fatal Four” Deadly Construction Accidents
- Fighting Fatal Falls on the Job: OSHA’s First National Emphasis Program
- New OSHA National Emphasis Program Targets Dangerous Warehousing Industry
- Amazon Warehouse Workers: Risk of Severe Bodily Injury or Death on the Job as OSHA Investigations Continue.
Workers in Illinois and Illinois employed in industrial jobsites, particularly construction, manufacturing, and warehousing, face a great risk of severe injury in a preventable work accident. Please be careful out there!
