Healthcare is the most dangerous industry for injuries and
illnesses, with 653,000 nurses, aides, orderlies and others injured or
falling ill every year, according to a new Public Citizen Report.
Forty-five percent of all workplace violence incidents in the USA that result in lost workdays occur in the health care sector. Among attendants, orderlies, and nursing aides in 2011, the incidence rate of injuries requiring days off work was 486 cases per 10,000 employees, over four times higher than the national average for all workers.
Even though health care workplaces are more dangerous than anywhere else, OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) carries out relatively few inspections of health care facilities. The authors added that even when it does find safety problems, there is often not much OSHA can do because of "an absence of much needed safety standards".
Co-author, Keith Wrightson, a worker safety and health advocate for Public Citizen, said "OSHA is required by law to ensure safe conditions for every employee in the United States. The record is clear that the government has broken its promise to health care workers."
More musculoskeletal injuries are suffered by orderlies, attendants, nurses and nursing aides than workers in any other industry. Back injuries in the health care industry are estimated to cost over $7 billion every year.
Dr. L. Toni Lewis, chair of the health care division of the Service Employees International Union, which advised Public Citizen on the report, said:
In 2010, there were 152,000 workplace injuries and illnesses in the manufacturing sector, compared to a whopping 653,000 in health care.
The industry with the most inspections, construction, has been criticized for not having enough OSHA inspections and enforcements.
Forty-five percent of all workplace violence incidents in the USA that result in lost workdays occur in the health care sector. Among attendants, orderlies, and nursing aides in 2011, the incidence rate of injuries requiring days off work was 486 cases per 10,000 employees, over four times higher than the national average for all workers.
Even though health care workplaces are more dangerous than anywhere else, OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) carries out relatively few inspections of health care facilities. The authors added that even when it does find safety problems, there is often not much OSHA can do because of "an absence of much needed safety standards".
Co-author, Keith Wrightson, a worker safety and health advocate for Public Citizen, said "OSHA is required by law to ensure safe conditions for every employee in the United States. The record is clear that the government has broken its promise to health care workers."
More musculoskeletal injuries are suffered by orderlies, attendants, nurses and nursing aides than workers in any other industry. Back injuries in the health care industry are estimated to cost over $7 billion every year.
Dr. L. Toni Lewis, chair of the health care division of the Service Employees International Union, which advised Public Citizen on the report, said:
In 2010, there were 152,000 workplace injuries and illnesses in the manufacturing sector, compared to a whopping 653,000 in health care.
The industry with the most inspections, construction, has been criticized for not having enough OSHA inspections and enforcements.
