The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has some good news for employers and employees alike. Injuries and illnesses were down 4% in 1998, while the number of hours worked increased by 3%. The injury and illness rate for 1998 was the lowest since BLS began reporting this information in the early 1970s.
A total of 5.9 million injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry workplaces during 1998, resulting in a rate of 6.7 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, according to a survey by the BLS, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. Employers reported a 4% drop in the number of cases and a 3% increase in the hours worked compared with 1997, reducing the case rate from 7.1 in 1997 to 6.7 in 1998.
