Nonfatal Occupational Injury Statistics in Several Midwestern States

The nature of occupational injuries in a particular state or region tends to be substantially shaped and influenced by the economic engines that drive the local and regional markets. In some cases, for example, there are entire substructures that are necessary in one place but wholly absent from another, such as a subway system or ports, harbors, and marinas. The introduction of such infrastructural elements greatly expands a city's capabilities and creates a wealth of job and service opportunities, but it also establishes a new arena in which employees can be hurt in the workplace and where they will face unfamiliar occupational hazards.Because of these nuances and subtle differences it is difficult to meaningful comparisons between geographically and demographically disparate locales with regard to workplace injury statistics. Drawing data together for similarly situated and oriented states, however, offers a useful way to assess the fluctuations in job safety for a particular line of work across state lines. It also can potentially highlight the need for improved practices and oversight of occupational safety where there is a marked variation despite virtually parallel other factors. Iowa and several of its neighboring states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri) are fairly comparable in terms of their emphasis on agricultural industries and few major metropolitan cities.Bureau ofLabor Statistics Reports for 2007The most recent year for which these states have nonfatal occupational injury reports available is 2007, and all of the data referenced below are pertinent to the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports from that year. They do not offer a qualitative overview of the occupational safety conditions in and around Iowa, but they do offer a valuable snapshot of a one-year condition. This can be understood to quickly extend to the personal, social, and financial lives of the workers represented by these numbers, and it puts into perspective the very real need for the workers' compensation system and other employee assistance programs.The following represent the overall incidence rates for these states in 2007:Iowa -- 6.0 % of workforce had reportable injuries (approximately 87,700)  Minnesota -- 4.6 % of workforce (approximately 121,525)  Wisconsin -- 5.3 % of workforce (approximately 144,950)  Illinois -- 4.1 % of workforce (approximately 237,050)  Missouri -- 4.6 % of workforce (approximately 105,800)Here we can see that although Iowa had the fewest reportable injuries, it had the highest rate of reportable injury by a fairly sizable margin.Injured Iowa WorkersThe Des Moines workers' compensation lawyers of LaMarca & Landry, P.C. are dedicated to helping injured Iowa workers get back on their feet. Contact them if you have been hurt at work.