ARKANSAS WORK-RELATED INJURIES AND ILLNESSES FOR 2023

Little Rock – The Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing has released the 2023 non-fatal injury and illness data. These estimates are from the annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII).
A total of 23,900 work-related injuries and illnesses were reported to have occurred in Arkansas for private and public sectors combined in 2023, down from 27,800 in 2022. The overall incidence rate of total recordable cases (TRC) was 2.1 in 2023. The 2022 incidence rate was 2.6. Incidence rates represent the number of injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers.

Private Sector

Private industry employers in Arkansas reported 19,000 non-fatal injuries and illnesses in 2023, down from 23,200 in 2022. The incidence rate was 1.9 injury and illness cases per 100 FTE workers in 2023, compared to 2.5 in 2022. The national private sector incidence rate was 2.4 in 2023, compared to 2.7 in 2022.

• Private industry employers reported 16,900 non-fatal injuries in 2023, compared to 15,700 in 2022. The incidence rate was 1.7 injury cases per 100 FTE workers, the same rate as 2022.
• There were 2,100 illness cases reported from private industry employers in 2023, down from 7,400 in 2022. The incidence rate of illness cases decreased from 0.8 cases per 100 FTE workers in 2022 to 0.2 cases in 2023. The decrease was driven by the lower number of respiratory illness cases, which include COVID-19 cases. Private industry employers reported 1,200 respiratory illness cases in 2023, compared to 6,900 cases in 2022.
• There were 5,800 non-fatal injuries and illnesses that caused a private industry worker to miss at least one day of work in 2023, compared to 11,100 cases in 2022.
• There were 3,600 cases with job transfer or restriction in 2023, compared to 3,800 in 2022.
• There were 9,500 other recordable cases in 2023, compared to 8,200 in 2022. Other recordable cases are work-related injuries or illnesses that required more than first aid but did not require day(s) away from work, job transfer or restriction.
• The goods-producing sector had 5,300 total recordable cases in 2023, down from 7,800 cases in 2022. The incidence rate was 2.3 for 2023, down from 3.4 in 2022. Within this sector, the furniture and related product manufacturing subsector had an incidence rate at 5.0 for 2023. The wood product manufacturing subsector had an incidence rate at 3.9.
• The service-providing sector had 13,600 total recordable cases in 2023, down from 15,300 cases in 2022. The incidence rate was 1.8 in 2023, down from 2.2 in 2022. The nursing and residential care facilities subsector had an incidence rate at 8.1 for 2023. Couriers and messengers had an incidence rate at 6.4. Hospitals had an incidence rate at 4.6.

Public Sector

Public sector employers (State and Local Government) in Arkansas reported 4,900 non-fatal injuries and illnesses in 2023, compared to 4,700 in 2022. The incidence rate was 3.1 injury and illness cases per 100 FTE workers in 2023, same as 2022.

State Government – State government employers in Arkansas reported 1,500 non-fatal injury and illness cases in 2023, compared to 1,300 in 2022. The incidence rate for state government was 2.5 cases per 100 FTE workers in 2023, compared to 2.3 in 2022.

• State government employers reported 1,300 non-fatal injuries in 2023, compared to 1,200 in 2022. The incidence rate was 2.3 injury cases per 100 FTE workers, compared to 2.2 in 2022. There were 200 illness cases reported from state government employers in 2023.
• There were 300 non-fatal injury and illness cases that caused a state government employee to miss at least one day of work in 2023, compared to 400 in 2022. There were 100 cases with job transfer or restriction in 2023, same as 2022. There were 1,000 other recordable cases in 2023, compared to 800 in 2022.
• Within State government, the correctional institutions subsector had an incidence rate at 7.1 for 2023. Police protection had an incidence rate at 6.2. Nursing and residential care facilities were at 5.4. Heavy and civil engineering construction were at 5.1.

Local Government (City & County) – Local government employers in Arkansas reported 3,400 non-fatal injury and illness cases in 2023, same as 2022. The incidence rate for local government was 3.5 cases per 100 FTE workers in 2023, compared to 3.6 in 2022.

• Local government employers reported 3,300 non-fatal injuries in 2023, same as 2022. The incidence rate was 3.4 injury cases per 100 FTE workers in 2023, compared 3.5 in 2022. There were 100 illness cases reported from local government employers in 2023, same as 2022.
• There were 600 non-fatal injury and illness cases that caused a local government employee to miss at least one day of work in 2023, compared to 800 in 2022. There were 400 cases with job transfer or restriction in 2023, compared to 300 in 2022. There were 2,500 other recordable cases in 2023, compared to 2,400 in 2022.
• Within Local government, the police protection subsector had an incidence rate at 10.5 for 2023. Educational services had an incidence rate of 3.4. Nursing and residential care facilities were at 3.1.

Note: Because of rounding, components may not add to totals.

Detailed tables and charts by industry are available upon request.

The Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) was administered by the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, Division of Labor, OSH/CFOI Section, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 2017 version of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS 2017) was used to group company data by industry. Arkansas employers are randomly selected for the survey each year.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact in SOII Results

Occupational injuries and illnesses collected in the SOII include cases of COVID-19 when a worker was infected as a result of performing their work-related duties and met other recordkeeping criteria. COVID-19 is considered a respiratory illness under criteria established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Biennial Case and Demographic Data in the SOII

Estimates involving days away from work (DAFW) and days of job transfer or restriction (DJTR) by detailed case characteristics and worker demographics for 2023 are not published this year. Last year, SOII began biennial publication for DAFW and DJTR with the period 2021-2022. SOII will publish biennial case and demographic information for 2023-2024 next year.

For additional information, please go to www.bls.gov/iif (current and archived data for national and by individual state), www.labor.arkansas.gov, or www.bls.gov/iif/state-data.htm#AR.

Fatal occupational injuries for calendar year 2023 were not included in this study. A separate publication for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) will be issued in December of 2024.

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