Rate of Nonfatal Injuries, Illnesses for Texas Private Industries Declines

Private industry workplaces in Texas reported a total of 213,507 nonfatal injuries and illnesses during 2009. The incidence rate of 2.9 cases per 100 equivalent full-time employees is 6 percent lower than in 2008, when the incidence rate was 3.1 cases per 100 equivalent full-time employees.

Last year marked the seventh consecutive year that the incidence rate dropped. The Texas rate is below the national rate of 3.6 for 2009.

The 2009 injury and illness data are the latest available from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses conducted by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The occupational injury and illness rates are based on a statistical sample of private firms in Texas.

Highlights of the 2009 Annual Survey:

In the private sector, the incidence rate for goods producing industries decreased by 12 percent from 2008 and 38 percent from 2003. Within goods producing industries, the largest decrease from 2008 was 33 percent seen in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting. Construction followed with a 16 percent decrease from 2008 and 41 percent from 2003; manufacturing declined 10 percent from 2008 and 34 percent from 2003.

The overall incidence rate for the service providing industries, showed a 3 percent decline from 2008. Within this group, wholesale trade reported the largest decrease of 24 percent from 3.3 in 2008 to 2.5 in 2009. Meanwhile, transportation and warehousing declined 15 percent over the last year.

Rate increases from 2008 only occurred within the service providing industries group, and included information (33 percent), education services (20 percent), utilities (16 percent), retail trade and health care and social assistance (5 percent), and other services, except public administration (3 percent).

Of the major private sector industries with the 10 highest incidence rates in 2009, air transportation and couriers and messengers are the top two.

The industry with the largest increase was air transportation (19 percent), followed by transit and ground passenger transportation (16 percent).

Notable decreases within these industries occurred in food and beverage stores (15 percent) and beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (14 percent).

Source: Texas Department of Insurance – Division of Workers’ Compensation