Kansas Study Details Lifting Injuries Account for High Number of Days Out of Work

Kansas Workers Advised to Think Twice Before Lifting at Work You've likely heard  the advice many times – lift with your legs and not with your back. According to a 2008 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, Kansas workers would do well to pay attention. The report, produced by the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, includes data about days away from work showing the most commonly injured part of the body is the back. Data in the report   is based on a survey of 3,500 randomly selected Kansas private employers and includes details on annual counts and incident rates for nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in the private sector for the work year 2007. "This information  is very useful because it can inform our efforts to assist employers in building effective workplace safety programs," said KDOL Secretary Jim Garner. "Through our free safety consultation services, we can work with Kansas employers to ensure these numbers begin to decline."  Other findings from the 2007 survey include: 1. An estimated 48,200 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses occurred among private industry workers in 2007, or just over 132 per day. 2. Approximately 10,370 of the 2007 workplace injuries and illnesses required days away from work, with an average of seven days off the job. 3. Strains and sprains were the number one cause of injuries, representing more than one-third of the injuries involving days away from work. These types of injuries led every major industry sector. 4. Men accounted for 65 percent of all cases requiring days away from work. 5. Workers 35 to 44 years of age accounted for 27.3 percent of injured or ill workers. The 45- to 54-year-old age group accounted for 22.5 percent of injuries and illnesses. 6. Injuries resulting in fractures accounted for the longest absences from work, with an average of 29 lost work days. This data from a random sampling of private employers differs from the data collected and released by the Division of Workers' Compensation.  Each year, KDOL's Division of Workers' Compensation releases the numbers of all reported workplace injuries and illnesses reported from both public and private employers. For more information  regarding this survey, visit www.bls.gov/iif Click on these links to try it for yourself. WC Calculator: www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/calculator.php TD Calculator: www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php WC 101: www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com/workers_comp.php Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different. Consult with your corporate legal counsel before implementing any cost containment programs. ©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@WorkersCompKit.com