Private Industry Comparison

DOE INJURY/ILLNESS COMPARED TO PRIVATE INDUSTRY

In this section, 1994 DOE injury/illness experience is compared to 1993 data for private industry, which is the most recent data available. Private sector data for this section was extracted from the following sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics News Release, Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (Annual) for 1993, and Bureau of Labor Statistics News Release, Occupational Injuries and Illnesses by Selected Characteristics for 1993.

Injury/Illness Rates

Table 13 provides private industry incidence rates by industry division, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics . Each year, the BLS publishes the results of their annual survey on work-related injuries and illnesses occurring in private industry. Their most recent survey estimates that in 1993 there were 8.5 work-related injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in private industry.

Very general rate comparisons for some operation types can be made to BLS industry classifications.

The 1994 total DOE construction TRC and LWC rates of 6.6 and 3.0, respectively, are approximately one-half the 1993 private sector construction rates of 12.2 and 5.5, respectively.
The 1994 DOE production TRC rate of 2.9 is approximately one-fourth the 1993 private sector manufacturing rate of 12.1, and the production LWC rate of 1.1 is approximately one-fifth the private sector manufacturing rate of 5.3.
The 1994 DOE services TRC rate of 4.4 is approximately two-thirds the 1993 private sector services rate of 6.7, and the services LWC rate of 2.2 is approximately four-fifths the 1993 private sector rate of 2.8.

Table 13. Nonfatal Occupational Injury and Illness Incidence Rates Per 100 Full-Time Workers, by Industry Division, 1993.
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Figures 18 and 19 compare the trends for total recordable case and lost workday case rates from 1985 through 1993. Both DOE and BLS show increasing TRC and LWC rate trends. DOE trend lines show sharper increases when compared to BLS trend lines; however, this may be due to the change in DOE reporting requirements, effective January 1, 1990.

Figure 18. (Select image for full-size figure)

Figure 19. (Select image for full-size figure)

Table 14 compares DOE total recordable case rates and private sector injury rates by establishment employment size. As in the past, private industry rates for establishments employing fewer than 50 or more than 1,000 employees experienced the lowest rates. The lowest rate for the DOE is seen in the largest establishments (2,500 or more employees). However, the highest rate for the DOE is seen in the smallest establishments (1 to 19 employees), while the highest rate for the private sector is seen in establishments employing 100 to 249 people.

Table 14. DOE Total Recordable Case Rates and BLS Injury Rates by Establishment Size.
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Other Injury/Illness Comparisons

Illness

Seven percent of the total injuries and illnesses reported by private industry during 1993 were classified as work-related illnesses, whereas 22 percent of the total injuries and illnesses reported by DOE during 1994 were classified as work-related illnesses.
About 60 percent of occupational illnesses, reported by private industry in 1993 and reported by DOE in 1994, were disorders associated with repeated trauma; however, private industry averaged 20 lost workdays per case compared to DOE with 10 lost workdays per case.
Men account for 35 percent of the disorders associated with repeated trauma reported by private industry in 1993, while they account for 41 percent reported by DOE.

Lost workday cases

Forty-four percent of the injuries and illnesses reported by private industry were serious enough to require recuperation away from work, to restrict duties at work or both; similarly DOE reported 46 percent. However, private industry averaged 6 lost workdays per case compared to DOE with 10 lost workdays per case.

Tables 15 to 18 compare the private sector and DOE by the following characteristics: gender, age, length of employment, and body part injured. A greater proportion of men experienced lost workday injuries and illnesses in the DOE complex than in private industry (Table 15). Workers, ages 35 to 44 years, account for the highest percentage of DOE injuries and illnesses in 1994, while workers, ages 25 to 34 years, accounted for the highest percentage of BLS injuries and illnesses in 1993 (Table 16). Length of employment for both DOE and BLS distribute similarly (Table 17); however, DOE shows a higher proportion of injuries and illnesses in the 1-year or more classification. Both DOE and BLS show the highest percent of injuries as trunk injuries (Table 18); however, DOE reported a lower proportion of back injuries.

Table 15. Percent Distribution of Lost Workday Cases for DOE (1994) and BLS (1993) by Employee Gender

Table 16. Percent Distribution of Lost Workday Cases for DOE (1994) and BLS (1993) by Employee Age
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Table 17. Percent Distribution of Lost Workday Cases for DOE (1994) and BLS (1993) by Length of Employment.

Table 18. Percent Distribution of Lost Workday Cases for DOE (1994) and BLS (1993) by Body Part Injured.
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