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Workplace Injury, Illness Rates Declined in 1999

Dec. 14, 2000

Workplace injury and illness rates declined in 1999 for the\r\nseventh straight year, said Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman.

EHS Today Staff

Workplace injury and illness rates declined in 1999 for the seventh straight year -- nearly a 30 percent drop since 1992, Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman announced Tuesday.

Herman said that this steady trend downward shows that employers and workers are making occupational safety and health a high priority.

Injuries and illnesses dropped 4 percent in 1999 even though employment rose 2 percent.

"That means 200,000 more workers went home to their families without a job-related injury or illnesses," noted Herman.

"I am delighted with the progress we have made together with workers and employers in job safety and health during the Clinton Administration," she continued. "We said we would measure our success by whether injuries and illnesses declined. They have -- continuously and significantly. These efforts must continue until every worker goes home whole and healthy every day.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.