Workplace injuries and illnesses among Minnesota workers declined last year, according to the most recent data from the annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
The data looks at injuries from the most recent full calendar year, and it found that there were 3.4 OSHA-recordable, nonfatal, workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time-equivalent workers in 2021. That rate is down slightly from 2020, when we saw 3.5 cases per 100 FTE workers. The survey recorded 73,800 workers with an OSHA-recordable injury or illness in 2021, down from 76,700 such cases in 2020. So while Minnesota may only have seen a 0.1% decline in FTE injury rate, that percentage represents nearly 300 fewer injuries and illnesses among hardworking Minnesotans.
Injury And Illness Data
Here’s a closer look at some of the injury and illness data from the most recent survey:
- In 2021, there were 13,500 reports of illnesses that forced an employee to miss at least one day of work, 11,300 of which were respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.
- In 2020, there were 14,300 COVID-19 cases alone.
- The industry with the highest total injury and illness rate was local government nursing and resident care facilities (30.6 cases per 100 FTE), private industry hospitals (9.4), private industry couriers and messengers (9.4), and state government nursing and residential care facilities (9.2).
- Nationally, there were an estimated 3,250,700 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses, resulting in a rate of 2.9 cases per 100 FTE workers, slightly better than Minnesota’s rate.
While the results are encouraging, the data suggests that far too many Minnesotans are suffering from injuries and illnesses in the workplace.
“We are encouraged by these results,” said Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) Temporary Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach. “While this is good news overall, there is still much work to do to improve workplace safety and health to ensure more workers go home safe and healthy each night.”
Hopefully these numbers continue to trend in the right direction in 2022, but we’ll be here to advocate for any employees who come down with an injury or illness at the workplace. If you want a professional in your corner to help you get the compensation you deserve, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
