By: Sean T. Devenney
The Indiana Department of Labor has recently released some outstanding statistics for the State on injuries in the work place. According to the “Indiana Labor Insider”, non-fatal worker injury and Illness rates dropped 12% between 2008 and 2009 from 4.9 injuries per 100 workers to 4.3 injuries per 100 workers. Additionally, work-place fatalities also reached an all time low of 123 reported cases in 2009. The Indiana Department of Labor did note, however, that there was a rise in the number of work place fatalities as a result of work place violence. Indeed, 20 people died due to assaults or violent acts in the work place. Of the 20 reported fatalities 9 were the result of suicide. The article in the Indiana Labor Insider stressed that the department of labor is authorized to issue citations to employers that do not adequately protect their employees from assaults and violent acts. The article also provided some ideas for employers to help control the risk of assaults and violent acts in the work place. For more information on these statistics and the http://www.in.gov/dol/files/INdiana_Labor_Insider_November-December_2010.pdf