DWC Releases Report on Texas Injuries and Illnesses
DWC released their 2021-2022 Biennial rates of Texas work-related injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, job transfer, or restrictions data. The information helps employers, safety professionals, and policymakers identify workplace safety and health issues.
The data in this report are the latest available from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). The report is created by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) in cooperation with BLS.
BLS published a new biennial case and demographic data series for cases that include days of job transfer or restriction (DJTR) starting with data from 2021 and 2022. The DJTR has case circumstances and demographics that match existing days away from work (DAFW) data. With the change in data series, 2021-2022 data will be consolidated and not reported for individual years. The 2021-2022 incidence rates are annualized over the two years that the data was collected. Annual summary industry estimates will remain unchanged.
In 1992, DJTR cases accounted for 21% of total cases that had days away from work, days of restricted work activity, or days with a job transfer (DART). Return to Work or Recover at Work (RTW) programs that have been implemented since then support injured employees that perform different job functions or work in a different part of the company while they recover. These types of cases frequently don’t have DAFW, and their case details were not captured.
By 2021-2022, Texas DJTR cases accounted for 45% of DART cases. Including DJTR case details as part of DART cases, instead of just reporting on DAFW cases, will give a more complete picture of all occupational injuries and illnesses. This data helps employers, safety professionals, and policymakers identify occupational safety and health issues.
DWC’s report, with detailed data and findings, can be accessed at https://www.tdi.texas.gov/wc/safety/sis/documents/casedemo2122.pdf
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