Trends in workplace homicides in the U.S., 1994-2021: An end to years of decline.

Workplace and non-workplace homicides in the United States (U.S.) have declined for over 30 years until recently. This study was conducted to address the change in trends for both workplace and non-workplace homicides and to evaluate the homogeneity of the change in workplace homicides by specified categories. Joinpoint and autoregressive models were used to assess trends of U.S. workplace and non-workplace homicides utilizing surveillance data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 1994 through 2021. Both workplace and non-workplace homicides decreased significantly from 1994 through 2014. Workplace homicides showed no significant trend from 2014 through 2021 (p = 0.79), while non-workplace homicides showed a significant average annual increase of 4.1% from 2014 through 2020 (p = 0.0013). The large decreases in the trend of workplace homicides occurring during a criminal act, such as robbery, leveled off and started to increase by the end of the study period (p < 0.0001). Declines in workplace homicides due to shootings also leveled off and started to increase by the end of the study period (p < 0.0001). U.S. workplace and non-workplace homicide rates declined from the 1990s until around 2014. Trends in workplace homicides varied by the types of the homicide committed and by the type of employee that was the victim. Criminal-intent-related events, such as robbery, appear to be the largest contributor to changes in workplace homicides. Researchers and industry leaders could develop and evaluate interventions that further address criminal-intent-related workplace homicides.

Time series, seasonality and trend evaluation of 7 years (2015-2021) of OSHA severe injury data.

PROBLEM: Employers are required to report severe work-related injuries (e.g., amputation, inpatient hospitalization, or loss of an eye), to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This study examined the OSHA severe injury reports (SIRs) public microdata to understand time-related trends and patterns. METHODS: This study included all SIRs from January 2015 to December 2021 (84 months). We employed time series decomposition models (classical additive and multiplicative, X-11, and X-13ARIMA-SEATS) to evaluate monthly seasonal effect and seasonally adjusted trend of SIRs. We developed data visuals to display trends from different models with the original data series. We compared number of daily SIRs by day of the week, and yearly trends by 2-digit NAICS and separately by 1-digit OIICS injury event. RESULTS: There were a total of 70,241 SIRs in this 7 year period; ranging from 8,704 to 11,156 per year, and 600 to 1,100 per month. Seasonally adjusted trend indicated a gradual increase of SIRs over time until October 2018, then a steeper decrease until August 2020, and staying somewhat flat for the rest of the months. Seasonality indicated more SIRs were reported in the summer months (June, July, August). Daily SIRs indicated a weekday average of 34 (SD = 9) and weekend average of 11 (SD = 5). The Manufacturing and Construction industries reported the highest yearly SIRs. Contact with objects and equipment, and falls, slips, trips were the most numerous injury events associated with SIRs. DISCUSSION: Although Federal OSHA SIR data do not include SIRs from state-plan jurisdictions, the data provide a timely national trend of SIR. This is the first known time series analysis of SIRs. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The findings of this study highlight the ability of researchers to use the SIRs as a timely indicator to understand occupational injury trends by specific industries and injury events.

Comparison of Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries in the US Air Force to US Workers.

OBJECTIVE: Fingers, hands, and wrists (FHW) are the most frequently injured body parts in work-related injuries. This study described and compared FHW injuries among enlisted, officer, and civilian US Air Force (USAF) personnel to those in the US workforce. METHODS: All work-related, noncombat FHW injuries (≥1 lost workday) and demographics among USAF personnel and US workforce (2008-2018) were included. The USAF FHW injury rates were age adjusted to the US employment and compared by sex, source, event, and nature of the injuries. RESULTS: Finger, hand, and wrist injuries were significantly lower among the USAF personnel and among females. In both populations, FHW injuries from falls were higher and increased with age group among females. Males had higher overall FHW injuries from contact with objects and equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention efforts should focus on understanding risk factors and sharing successful prevention activities.