Private industry employers reported 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022, up 7.5% from 2021 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The increase comes from a rise in both injuries up 4.5% and illnesses up 26.1%. The jump in illnesses can be credited to the rise in respiratory illness cases, up 35.4%, following a decrease the previous year.
Over the 2021-2022 two-year period, there were 2.2 million cases involving days away from work, with a median of 10 days away from work.
What’s more, the Government Accountability Office found that fewer than half of employers fully report injuries and illnesses as required by federal law.
The National Safety Council estimates the cost to employers for workplace injuries and fatalities at $167 billion a year.
From a recruiting and retention standpoint, the best employees are attracted to workplaces that have a serious commitment to safety. From our experience, these are also the companies with the best cultures, are growing the fastest, are the most profitable, and have the highest employee retention rates. The truth is, safety isn’t expensive, just the opposite. The type of thinking that leads to a safe workplace, is the same thinking that creates efficient and effective processes that reduce waste and increase margin.
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