Illness and Injury Rates Remain High in Nursing Facilities

Nursing and residential care facilities rank among the most dangerous places to work (pdf), new data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows.

The data, released on October 29, shows that employees of privately owned nursing and residential care facilities suffered nonfatal injuries and illnesses at a rate of 7.1 per hundred full-time employees in 2014.

Among private industries, only air transportation (7.5 per 100 full-time employees) had a higher injury and illness rate.

Nursing and residential facilities owned by local governments had an injury/illness rate of 7.4 per 100 full-time employees. However, that rate was much higher in nursing facilities operated by state governments (12.6 percent).

Overall, the injury and illness rate among private industries was 3.2 per 100 full-time employees in 2014, down from 3.3 the previous year. That rate has declined steadily since 2003, when it was 5 per 100 full-time employees.

— by Matthew Ozga