INDIANAPOLIS — In a time when workplace injuries are on the rise across the country, Indiana is trending in the opposite direction, living up to its moniker as “A State That Works.”
That is according to the latest survey of occupational injuries and illnesses released by the Indiana Department of Labor, with Indiana recording its lowest injury and illness rate in its history.
The Hoosier State reported an estimated rate of 2.9 workplace injuries and illnesses out of 100 full-time workers in 2022. This marked an improvement from a previous rate of 3.2 in 2021.
“2022 was a highly encouraging year in reducing injuries and illnesses among Hoosier workers,” said Indiana Department of Labor Commissioner David Redden. “We see the strides that employers continue to make in improving workplace health and safety on the whole. The Indiana Department of Labor will continue to work with Hoosier companies across the state to drive this trend.”
Meanwhile, a total of around 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were recorded by private industry employers last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This marked a 7.5 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Indiana’s rate reached its highest recorded total in 1994 when it posted a rate of 11.3 injuries and illnesses per 100 workers. Last year marked the eighth consecutive year that Indiana has posted rates of 4.0.
This most recent drop in nonfatal injuries and illnesses was widely reported among 14 different industries, ranging from blue-collar jobs in fields like construction, manufacturing, and agriculture to white-collar industries such as education and real estate.
Conversely, the Indiana Department of Labor said four industries witnessed an increase in injuries and illnesses between 2021 and 2022. These industries included finance and insurance, administrative and waste management services, arts and entertainment employment opportunities, and other services.
