The direct cost burden of 13 years of disabling workplace injuries in the US (1998-2010): Findings from the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index

摘要

Introduction: Although occupational injuries are among the leading causes of death and disability around the world, the burden due to occupational injuries has historically been under-recognized, obscuring the need to address a major public health problem. Methods: We established the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index (LMWSI) to provide a reliable annual metric of the leading causes of the most serious workplace injuries in the United States based on direct workers compensation (WC) costs. Results: More than $600 billion in direct WC costs were spent on the most disabling compensable non-fatal injuries and illnesses in the United States from 1998 to 2010. The burden in 2010 remained similar to the burden in 1998 in real terms. The categories of overexertion ($13.6B, 2010) and fall on some level ($8.6B, 2010) were consistently ranked 1st and 2nd. (C) 2015 The Authors. National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd.