Minnesota Workplace Injuries Continue to Drop

A recent workplace survey shows that Minnesota’s injury and illness rate decreased by 3.6 percent in 2004, following an 8.3 percent decrease in 2003.

A total of 105,500 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in Minnesota’s private-industry and public-sector workplaces during 2004, resulting in a rate of 5.3 cases per 100 full-time-equivalent (FTE) workers, according to the annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. The 2003 injury and illness rate was 5.5 cases per 100 FTE workers.

Nonfatal injuries

The number of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses dropped by 5.5 percent from the 2003 total of 111,600 cases and is 12.4 percent below the 2002 total of 120,500 cases.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry collected 2004 injury and illness records from approximately 4,900 Minnesota employers.

Nationally, there were 4.3 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported during 2004, resulting in a rate of 4.8 cases per 100 FTE workers. In 2003, there were 4.4 million private-industry cases reported nationally, with a rate of 5.0 cases per 100 FTE workers.

Other data

Other information from the Minnesota survey results includes:

An estimated 52,300 cases in 2004 resulted in days away from work, job transfer or restrictions. The rate for these injuries was 2.6 cases per 100 FTE workers. In 2003, there were 57,100 cases, with 2.8 per 100 FTE workers.

Industry divisions with the highest total injury and illness rates per 100 FTE workers were similar to previous years: construction (8.6); agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (8.6); and transportation and warehousing (7.6).