UConn study: CT worker illnesses down slightly in 2018
An annual University of Connecticut study of on-the-job illnesses in Connecticut estimates there are about 25,000 ailments linked to people's occupations in the state each year.
The latest data the study examined was from 2018, so it doesn't reflect the number of individuals who have contracted COVID-19 at work, said Tim Morse, author of the annual report and occupational and environmental health expert professor emeritus at UConn Health.
"...workers in Connecticut face many other infectious diseases such as bloodborne exposures in healthcare, Lyme Disease and skin conditions in outdoor workers, musculoskeletal conditions in manufacturing, offices and construction, and job stress and heart conditions in protective services,” Morse said.
Researchers drew their conclusions by examining data from the state Workers' Compensation Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as well as the state health and labor departments. The occupational illnesses do not include on-the-job injuries.
The number of reported illnesses linked to work in 2018 were just under 7,330, a slight improvement from the previous year's nearly 7,460, the report said. Researchers estimate there were about 18,500 unreported occupational illnesses.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the state's rate of illness is about 14 per 10,000 workers; 9% higher than the 2017 rate, but 8% lower than the national average.
The highest rates of occupational illnesses were found in government (77.6%), manufacturing (44.2%) and trade (31.2%) industry workers, BLS said.
“The Workers’ Compensation Commission is encouraged by the decline in the numbers of occupational illnesses as employees and employers continue to focus on prevention,” Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission Chair Stephen Morelli said.
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