Job Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Off Decrease in Texas

Employers in private industry in Texas reported a total of 69,320 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work for 2007, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

This was a 4.6 percent decrease from the 72,660 cases reported in 2006, the Texas Department of Insurance reported.

The Survey of Occupational Injury and Illnesses for 2007 revealed that there were 94.3 injuries and illnesses per 10,000 full-time equivalent employees in Texas. This rate was 9.7 percent lower than the rate of 104.4 in 2006 and is lower than the national rate for 2007 of 122.

The median days away from work for Texas in 2007 was 9, which is higher than the 8 days for 2006 and higher than the nationally reported median days of 7.

Source: Texas Department of Insurance, www.tdi.state.tx.us