1997 Workplace Injuries and Illnesses — 1998-12-17

A total of 6.1 million injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry workplaces during 1997, resulting in a rate of 7.1 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, according to a survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. The number of cases was about the same as in 1996, although hours worked increased 3 percent. As a result, the case rate declined from 7.4 in 1996 to 7.1 in 1997. The rate for 1997 was the lowest since the Bureau began reporting this information in the early 1970s. (See "Background of the Survey" section for a discussion of the factors that can influence rate changes from one survey to the next.) The following tabulation on incidence rates for injuries and illnesses shows the decline in rates per 100 full-time workers since 1993: Among goods-producing industries, manufacturing had the highest incidence rate in 1997 (10.3 cases per 100 full-time workers).