Minnesota Injury Facts, 2006 Edition: The Workplace

Minnesota's injury and illness rate decreased by 3.8 percent in 2005, following a 3.6 percent decrease in 2004. An estimated total of 104,100 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in Minnesota's private-industry and public-sector workplaces during 2005, resulting in a rate of 5.1 cases per 100 full-time-equivalent (FTE) workers, according to the annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. The 2004 estimated injury and illness rate was 5.3 cases per 100 FTE workers.

The estimated number of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in Minnesota dropped slightly from the 2004 estimate of 105,500 cases and is 6.7 percent below the 2003 estimate of 111,600 cases.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) collected 2005 injury and illness records from approximately 4,800 Minnesota employers. State agencies and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gather the survey data, which is the primary source of workplace injury and illness data nationwide.

Nationally, an estimated 4.2 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in private-industry workplaces during 2005, resulting in a rate of 4.6 cases per 100 FTE workers. In 2004, there were an estimated 4.3 million private-industry cases reported nationally, with a rate of 4.8 cases per 100 FTE workers.

Other information from the Minnesota survey results

• An estimated 50,100 cases in 2005 resulted in days away from work, job transfer or restrictions. The rate for these injuries was 2.4 cases per 100 FTE workers. In 2004, there were 52,300 cases, with 2.6 cases per 100 FTE workers.
• The rate of days-away-from-work cases was 1.3 per 100 FTE workers in 2005, compared to 1.5 cases per 100 FTE workers in 2004 and 2003.
• The rate of cases with job transfer or restriction was 1.1 per 100 FTE workers in 2005, compared to 1.2 cases in 2004.
• Industry divisions with the highest total injury and illness rates per 100 FTE workers were similar to previous years: agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (10.1); construction (8.5); and transportation and warehousing (7.4).
• Three industry divisions with consistent decreases since 2003 were construction, manufacturing and wholesale trade.