Baton Rouge, LA – The rate of work-related injuries and illnesses among Louisiana’s private sector employers improved to its best level since the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration revised its record-keeping rules in 2002.
Louisiana ranked second-best among 41 states and the District of Columbia in 2013 for the rate of non-fatal work-related injuries and illnesses, according to new data from a voluntary Bureau of Labor Statistics survey. Louisiana’s rate improved to an estimated 2.2 incidents per 100 full-time workers, down from 2.3 the previous year. The national average was 3.3.
“Private sector employers and their workforce continue to do the right things to make working in Louisiana safer,” said Curt Eysink, executive director of the Louisiana Workforce Commission. “Year after year of improvement has made Louisiana one of the safest states in the nation to work and, as a direct result, employers are saving money.”
Workers’ compensation rates in Louisiana were reduced in 2014 by 5.1 percent at the recommendation of the National Council of Compensation Insurance, which reported reduced claims costs for providers. The organization has recommended rates be reduced by another 2.4 percent in 2015, and the Louisiana Department of Insurance is expected to announce a decision later this week.
Louisiana’s injury and illness incidence rate in 2013 improved in multiple industry sectors, the BLS data show. The most improved sector was arts, entertainment and recreation, which decreased by 2.4 incidents per 100 full-time workers from the previous year. Other industry sectors with notable over-the-year improvements include:
- Utilities – down 0.9 incidents per 100 full-time workers
- Transportation and warehousing – down 0.7
- Construction – down 0.5
- Manufacturing – down 0.4
- Leisure and hospitality – down 0.3
“It’s especially encouraging to see these improvements in such a wide variety of industries,” Eysink said. “The LWC will continue to work with business and industry to keep these improvements going.”
Source: LA Workforce Commission