Nonfatal Injuries Involving Days Away from Work
The BLS reported 1.5 million nonfatal occupational injury and illness
cases involving days away from work in 2001. Traumatic injuries and
disorders accounted for 1.4 million or 92.1% of these cases. Traumatic
injuries and disorders required a median of 6 days away from work in
2001 [BLS 2003a]. This section of the Chartbook provides magnitude,
trend, and demographic data for cases from the following seven categories
of injuries:
- Amputations
- Back, including spine and spinal cord
- Bruises and contusions
- Heat burns and scalds
- Cuts and lacerations
- Fractures
- Sprains, strains, and tears
Amputations
Amputations are open-wound injuries that involve loss of a limb or other
external body part. For BLS to classify an injury in this group, bone
must be lost. Amputations are severe injuries. They involved a median
of 18 days away from work in 2001 (Figure 2–85) compared with 6
days for all nonfatal injuries and illnesses [BLS 2003a].
In 1999, an estimated 19,700 occupational amputation cases were treated
in a hospital emergency department—about 0.5% of all injuries and
illnesses treated in hospital emergency departments among workers aged
15 and older (Figure 2–80). The number of cases corresponded to
a rate of 1.5 amputations per 10,000 full-time workers. The highest rate
of occupational amputations treated in hospital emergency departments
occurred among workers under age 25; however, the greatest number occurred
among workers aged 35–44. The age disparities for amputations were
smaller than those observed for all types of injuries and illnesses treated
in hospital emergency departments (Figure 2–80). Male workers suffered
an estimated 17,200 amputations—6 to 7 times more occupational amputations
than women. (Figure 2–82).
BLS reported 8,612 amputation cases involving days away from work in
2001 (Figure 2–78). Annual rates of amputation cases declined 37.5%,
from 1.6 per 10,000 full-time workers in 1992 to 1.0 in 2001 (Figure 2–79).
Most cases involved workers who were aged 25–54 (73.7%) (Figure
2–81), male (80.6%) (Figure 2–83), and white, non-Hispanic
(64.8%) (Figure 2–84). Two occupational groups accounted for more
than 75% of all amputations: operators, fabricators, and laborers (55.1%)
and precision production, craft, and repair (23%) (Figure 2–86).
Rates exceeding the private-sector rate were reported for agriculture,
forestry, and fishing (2.7 per 10,000 full-time workers), manufacturing
(2.5), construction (1.6), and mining (1.1) (Figure 2–87). Manufacturing
had consistently higher rates than other industry sectors during 1992–2001
and experienced a 26.5% rate reduction (Figure 2–88).
Magnitude and Trend
How did the number of amputation cases change during 1992–2001?
How did the annual rate of amputation cases change during 1992–2001?
Age
How did numbers and rates of amputations treated in hospital emergency
departments differ by age of worker in 1999?
How did amputations compare with all nonfatal injuries and illnesses
by age of worker in 2001?
Sex
How did amputation cases compare with all nonfatal injury and illness
cases by sex of worker in 2001?
How did amputation cases compare with all nonfatal injury and illness
cases by sex of worker in 2001?
Race/Ethnicity
How did amputations compare with all nonfatal injuries and illnesses
by race/ethnicity in 2001?
Severity
How did amputations compare with all nonfatal injuries and illnesses
when measured by days away from work in 2001?
Occupation
How did amputations compare with all nonfatal injuries and illnesses
by occupation in 2001?
Industry
How did the rate of amputations differ by private industry sector in
2001?
How did the rates of amputations change by private industry sector during
1992–2001?
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