Kansas Department of Health and Environment

Health Care Information

Elizabeth Saadi, Director
900 S.W. Jackson, Suite 904, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1220
(785) 296-8627, FAX (785) 368-7118

OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES & ILLNESSES

KANSAS, 1996

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Part I, 1996 Survey Highlights
Part I Charts
Part I Tables
Part II, Case Characteristics
Part II Charts
Part II Tables
Appendices

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Part I Charts

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Part I Tables

Part II Charts

Part II Tables

Appendices

A. Scope of the Survey and Technical Notes
B. Instructions for Computing Incidence Rates for an Individual Firm
C. Glossary
E. Record keeping Summary

Introduction

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 became an official part of the national labor law effective April 28, 1971. The act's fundamental objective is "... to assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the Nation safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources." In order to fulfill this purpose, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, through a cooperative program, collect and analyze occupational injury and illness statistics in Kansas.

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The 1996 survey of 3,652 private employers in Kansas serves as the basis for the estimates of occupational injuries and illnesses presented in this report. Survey results are used in measuring and evaluating the effectiveness of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in reducing work-related injuries and illnesses. Year to year comparisons of estimated incidence rates indicate basic industry trends and where prevention measures should be intensified. The rates contained in this report represent the number of injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers and enable employers to compare the experience of their establishments to the entire industry. Further explanation of the scope of this report and the methodology used can be found in Appendix A.

Copies of this report as well as additional information may be obtained by contacting the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Health Care Information, 900 SW Jackson, Room 1002 N, Topeka, KS, 66612-1290, (785) 296-1058.

ADA Statement: If you desire a copy of this publication in alternative form because of a disability, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Health Care Information, 900 SW Jackson, Room 1002 N, Topeka, KS, 66612-1290, (785) 296-1058.

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Part I - 1996 Survey Highlights

1996 SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

The 1996 injury and illness incidence rate for private industry in Kansas was 8.9 per 100 full time workers, slightly lower than the rate of 9.7 reported in 1995. Most major industry divisions reported lower rates in 1996 than in 1995 while three, namely agriculture, construction, and finance, insurance, and real estate, reported higher rates. (Chart 1)
The largest decrease in the rate of occupational injuries and illnesses occurred in the transportation and public utilities industry which decreased 22.8% from a rate of 9.2 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 1995 to 7.1 in 1996. (Chart 1)
Nondurable goods manufacturing experienced a similar decrease of 22.6% going from a rate of 16.4 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 1995 to 12.7 in 1996. (Chart 1)
The industry with the greatest increase was finance, insurance, and real estate which increased 42.9% from 2.8 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 1995 to a rate of 4.0 in 1996. (Chart 1)
Breaking manufacturing into two categories (durable and nondurable goods), the industry division with the highest incidence rate was nondurable goods manufacturing, with a rate of 12.7 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers. (Chart 1, Table 1)
Meat packing plants had the highest incidence rate within the nondurable goods manufacturing division, with a rate of 24.5 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers. (Table 6)
The other manufacturing category, durable goods, reported the next highest rate of 12.4 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers. (Chart 1, Table 1)
Within durable goods manufacturing, farm machinery and equipment led all others with a rate of 17.5 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers. (Table 6)
Construction industries had the third highest rate with 12.2 injuries and illness per 100 full-time workers. (Chart 1, Table 1)
Masonry, stonework, and plastering was the leading contributor in the construction industry with a rate of 17.7 injuries and illness per 100 full-time workers. (Table 6)
As would be expected, the low risk industries of finance, insurance, and real estate had the lowest rate with 4.0 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 1996. As previously stated, however, the 1996 rate was 42.9 % higher than that of 1995. (Chart 1, Table 1)
The occupational injury and illness incidence rates per 100 full-time workers for private industry in Kansas have remained relatively stable over the past five years ranging from 8.9 in 1996 to 10.3 in 1993. These incidence rates include all cases, both with and without lost workdays. The incidence rates for lost workday cases (those having days away from work and/or days of restricted work activity) have remained the most stable ranging from 4.0 in 1996 to 4.3 in 1992 and 1993. The incidence rates for cases without lost workdays (recordable cases that did not result in days away from work or restricted work activity) have ranged from 4.9 in 1996 to 6.0 in 1993. (Chart 2, Table 3)
When incidence rates are examined for injuries only, the largest difference in rates comes in the nondurable goods manufacturing industry which drops to third place with a rate of 9.9, down 22% from 12.7 when both injuries & illnesses are included. The construction industry emerges with the highest injury rate with 11.8 injuries per 100 full-time workers, while durable goods remains in second place with a rate of 10.8 injuries per 100 full-time workers. (Table 1)
The Kansas rate of 8.9 injuries and illness per 100 full-time workers was 20% higher than the U.S. rate of 7.4. Kansas had a lower incidence rate than the nation in only one industry, transportation and public utilities, which was 18.4% lower. In the agriculture, forestry, & fishing industry, Kansas and the U.S. tied with a rate of 8.7 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers. In all other industries, Kansas had a higher incidence of work-related injuries and illnesses than did the country as a whole. The largest discrepancy between Kansas and the U.S. was a whopping 38% higher incidence rate in nondurable goods manufacturing of 12.7 for Kansas compared to the U.S. rate of 9.2 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers. (Chart 3, Table 8)
Of the 5,700 occupational illness cases in 1996, 4,500 (79%) were disorders associated with repeated trauma. (Chart 5, Table 5)
Over three-fourths (78%) of the disorders associated with repeated trauma illnesses occurred in the manufacturing industry. Nondurable goods manufacturing accounted for the majority with 2,100 of these illness cases while durable goods manufacturing was responsible for 1,500 of these illness cases. (Chart 6, Table 5)
Private industry in Kansas in 1996 had an occupational illness incidence rate of 66.1 illnesses per 10,000 workers. The illness category with the highest rate was disorders associated with repeated trauma with a rate of 52.8. Repetitive trauma includes carpal tunnel syndrome, the most common occupational illness. Repetitive motion such as grasping tools, scanning groceries, and typing are some examples of the kind of work than can result in an occupational illness associated with repeated trauma. (Chart 7)
Manufacturing had by far the highest incidence rate of the repetitive trauma cases of all industries with a rate of 176.8 per 10,000 full-time workers. Within manufacturing, food and kindred products had by far the highest incidence rate of 464.1. The high incidence rate in this industry is due to the frequency of repetitive trauma illnesses in the meat packing industry. (Chart 7, Table 4)
In 1996, 44.4% of reported occupational injury and illness cases were serious enough to cause lost workdays, up slightly from 43.5% in 1995. Lost workdays includes days away from work and/or days of restricted work activity. Of the 76,100 injuries and illness cases, 18,900 (24.8%) resulted in days away from work, 14,900 (19.6%) required restrictions in work activity but no days away from work, and 42,300 (55.6%) were cases without lost workdays. (Chart 8, Chart 9, Table 2)
Kansas workers experienced a smaller percentage of injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work than did the nations workers as a whole and a higher percentage of injuries and illnesses requiring work restrictions. This may due to Kansas having fewer severe injuries and illnesses than did the nation, or from employers in Kansas doing a better job accommodating workers who have suffered workplace injuries or illnesses.

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Part II - Case Characteristics

1996 CASE CHARACTERISTICS

Of the 18,885 injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, two-thirds (12,513) occurred to men while one-third (6,289) occurred to women. (Table 1)
Men were much more likely to experience an occupational injury or illness involving days away from work in the industries of agriculture, forestry & fishing, construction, manufacturing, transportation & public utilities, and wholesale trade, while women were more likely to experience occupational injuries or illnesses involving days away from work in finance, insurance & real estate, and services. Retail trade was the only industry in which the number of occupational injuries and illnesses were close to being evenly distributed with 55% occurring to men and 45% occurring to women. (Chart 1, Table 2)
Of the workers suffering injuries & illnesses involving days away from work for whom length of service is known, 42.5% had less than one year of service with their employer at the time of the injury or illness. The majority of these cases can likely be attributed to inexperience. Experienced workers, however, are certainly not immune to incurring occupational injuries and illnesses. Over one-fourth (27.3%) of workers for whom length of service is known, had over five years of service with their employer. (Chart 2, Table 1, Table 2)
The majority of injuries and illnesses involving days away from work occurred to workers in the 25-34 age group with 5,615 followed closely by the 35-44 age group with 5,166. Together these two age groups accounted for 57% of all injuries and illnesses with days away from work.(Chart 3, Table 1)
Operators, fabricators, and laborers was the occupational category with the highest number of occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work with 8,298, or 43.9%. This group includes truck drivers, nonconstruction laborers, and assemblers. (Chart 4, Table 1, Table 2)
The number one occupation on both the Kansas and United States list having the most injuries and illnesses involving days away from work in 1996 was truck driver. In addition, four of the top 5 occupations on both the Kansas and the Unites States lists are the same and in all, 8 out of 10 occupations on each list are the same. (Table 11)
Goods-producing industries accounted for 40% of the nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work. Among the occupations within these industries having a high number of cases are construction laborers (910), assemblers (506), carpenters (341) and welders and cutters (328). (Chart 5, Table 3)
Service-producing industries accounted for the remaining 60% of the nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work. Among the occupations within these industries having a high number of cases are truck drivers (969), nursing aides and orderlies (807), and miscellaneous food preparation (616), and nonconstruction laborers (546). (Chart 5, Table 3)
As would be expected, manufacturing dominated the goods-producing industries with nearly two-thirds (63%) of injury and illness cases occurring in this industry. Retail trade accounted for one third of the injury and illness cases in Service-producing industries while Services contributed over a third (38%) (Chart 6).
Sprains and strains were responsible for nearly half the occupational injury & illness cases involving days away from work (44.1%). Bruises and contusions was the nature category that the next highest number of injury cases were found accounting for a distant 8.5% of injuries involving days away from work. Fractures came third with 7.6%. (Chart 7, Table 5)
As would be expected, with such a large number of sprains and strains, the trunk was the part of body most often affected as was the case in 7,523 injuries, or 39.8% .of injury cases. More than half of the trunk injuries (4,804) involved the back and 1,290 involved the shoulder. Upper extremities were affected in approximately one out of four injury and illness cases involving days away from work. (Chart 8, Table 5)
Two event categories accounted for just over half the injury and illness cases involving days away from work. Contact with objects and equipment caused just over one fourth (26.2%) of the injuries involving days away from work and overexertion was responsible for another quarter. Of the 4,772 cases of overexertion, 3,225 were due to lifting. Falls accounted for nearly one out of 5 injuries (19.6%). Of the 3,703 falls, 2,793 (75%) were falls to the same level. (Chart 9, Table 4, Table 5)
A variety of sources were responsible for the occupational injury and illness cases involving days away from work. Floors, walkways, and ground surfaces were the source in 18.9% of the cases, worker motion or position in 16.6%, parts and materials in 14.1% and containers in 10.4%. Together these sources accounted for 60% of injury and illness cases involving days away from work. (Chart 10, Table 5)
Experience with the data has shown floors, walkways, and ground surfaces to be the major source of injury in falls to the same level, worker motion or position to be the major source involved in repetitive motion events, and containers to be the source involved in the majority of overexertion in lifting injuries.
While there were no major distinctions between men and women regarding the number of days away from work due to work related injuries and illnesses, more men were represented in longer lengths of days away than were women suggesting that on the whole, men sustained injuries and illnesses that were more severe than did women. For men, the median number of days away from work was five, and for women, four. (Chart 11, Table 7)
Nearly half (46.5%) of the work related injuries & illness involving days away from work occurring among farming, forestry, & fishing occupations resulted in 31 days or more away from work. This occupational category had a significantly higher median days away from work (14) than all other categories. (Chart 12, Table 7)
Looking at specific occupations, however, grounds keepers & gardeners, except farm, insurance salespersons, hoist & winch operators, and carpenters had the highest median days awayfrom work with 77, 47, 37, and 35 days away respectively. (Table 8)
Carpal tunnel syndrome was responsible for the longest length of time away from work with a median number of days away of 29. (Chart 13, Table 9)
Injuries and illnesses affecting the shoulder and wrist had the highest median days away from work of 13 and 10 respectively. (Table 9)
Of all sources of injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, vehicles accounted for the highest median days away (10). (Table 9)
The event or exposure causing the most days away from work for nonfatal injuries and illnesses was repetitive motion with 15 days. Falls to a lower level and transportation accidents tied for second with 10 days away from work. (Chart 14, Table 9)

Appendices

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Appendix A

SCOPE OF THE SURVEY AND TECHNICAL NOTES

Scope of the Survey

The occupational injury and illness data reported through the annual survey are based on records which employers in the following industries maintain under the Occupational Safety and Health Act: agriculture, forestry, and fishing (SIC 01-09); oil and gas extraction (SIC 13); construction (SIC 15-17); manufacturing (SIC 20-39); transportation and public utilities (SIC 41-49); wholesale and retail trade (SIC 50-59); finance, insurance, and real estate (SIC 60-67); and services (SIC 70-89). Excluded from the survey are self-employed individuals; private households; farmers with fewer than 11 employees; employers regulated by other federal safety and health laws; and federal, state, and local government agencies.

Data conforming to OSHA definitions of recordable occupational injuries and illnesses for coal and lignite mining (SIC 11 and 12), metal and nonmetal mining (SIC 10 and 14), and railroads (SIC 40) are provided by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, and by the Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.

Survey questionnaires were mailed to 3,652 sample units within the state. Approximately twelve percent of these were excluded from the final tabulation because they were no longer in operation, were not within the scope of the survey, were included in the report for another location, received duplicate survey forms for the same location, or were not mailable because of an inadequate address. Follow-up mailings and telephone calls to nonrespondents resulted in an overall usable response rate of 88 percent.

Survey Questionnaire

The survey questionnaire requested information concerning the average employment during the calendar year; total hours worked; the number of occupational illnesses by type (seven categories); the total occupational injuries and illnesses by type, i.e., fatalities, and nonfatal cases with and without lost workdays; the number of days away from work and days of restricted work activity; and case and demographic data for lost workday cases. See Appendix D for a sample of the survey form and instructions.

Federal grant arrangements specify that the respondent fill out a single report form. The data are then used to develop both state and national estimates. This elimination of duplicate reporting by respondents, in conjunction with the use of identical statistical techniques at the state and national levels, ensures maximum comparability of estimates.

Sample Design

The basic sample was selected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to represent all non-government industries in Kansas and to produce estimates of the number of occurrences and incidence rates of occupational injuries and illnesses for the state. The universe was stratified into industries according to the 1987 edition of the "Standard Industrial Classification Manual" published by the Office of Management and Budget.

A sample size necessary to produce a certain level of precision in the estimates of incidence rates was then determined for each industry. Previous surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, have given an indication of the variability of incidence rates within certain groups of industries. Using these measures of variability, the number of establishments in the industry, and the employment in large establishments, a sample size was then calculated for each industry. The number of employees in large establishments was used as a control on the sample size. When industries are dominated by a few large establishments, smaller samples are required if the large establishments are included in the sample with certainty. Industries with higher expected incidence rates displayed more variability and, therefore, were allotted a proportionately larger sample than industries with lower rates.

Within an industry it was known that the number of injuries and illnesses an establishment experiences will vary with the employment of the establishment. Because of this, the universe of establishments within an industry was stratified by employment and then an optimum allocation was achieved by distributing the sample to each size group proportionate to the total employment in the size group. This procedure assumes that the variance of the average number of injuries and illnesses per establishment in a size group is proportionate to the average establishment employment size group. Sample sizes were then adjusted to produce integral sampling ratios.

Estimating Procedures

By using a weighting procedure, units in the sample are made to represent all units in their size class for a particular industry. The inverse of the sampling ratio for the industry/employment-size class from which the unit was selected determines the weight. Weights of responding employers in a sampling cell are adjusted for the small proportion of survey forms not returned. Respondents are then shifted into the estimating cell determined by the employment and business activity report. Data for each unit are multiplied by the appropriate weight and nonresponse adjustment factor. The products are then aggregated to obtain a total for the estimating cell.

Since the universe file which provides the sample frame is not current to the reference year of the survey, data are adjusted to reflect current employment levels. In the annual survey, all estimates of totals are adjusted by the benchmark factor at the estimating cell level. The benchmarking procedure requires a source of accurate employment data which can be converted into annual average employment figures for separate estimates at the cell level.

Federal-State Cooperation

To eliminate duplicate reporting by respondents and ensure maximum comparability of estimates, survey respondents complete a single report form for national and state estimates.

Industrial Classification

Reporting units are classified into industries by their principal product or activity. The data are tabulated according to the 1987 edition of the "Standard Industrial Classification Manual."

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Appendix B

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPUTING INCIDENCE RATES FOR AN INDIVIDUAL FIRM

Incidence rates for an individual establishment or firm may be calculated by employers by using the same formula that is used to calculate industry-wide incidence rates from the annual occupational injury and illness survey. Employers may then compare their work injury and illness rates to state and national rates for their industry.

The formula requires: (1) the number of injuries and illnesses, and (2) the number of hours actually worked by all employees during the reference period. To produce an overall incidence rate proceed by determining the following:

The number of recordable occupational injuries and illnesses. This may be done by adding the totals for columns 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, and 13 of The Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Log (OSHA NO. 200).
The total number of hours actually worked during the year by all employees from payroll or other time records. The hours worked figure should not include any nonwork time even though paid, such as vacations, sick leave, holidays, etc. (If actual hours worked are not available for employees paid on commission, by salary, by the mile, etc., hours worked may be estimated on the basis of scheduled hours or eight hours per workday.)

The formula for computing the incidence rate is as follows:

(1)	Number of injuries and illnesses X 200,000		=	Incidence Rate
(2)	Employee hours worked

This rate represents the number of injuries and illnesses occurring per 200,000 hours of work exposure, or the rate per 100 full-time equivalent workers. The same base is used in computing the occupational injury and illness rates for Kansas and the nation.

An employer may compute rates for injuries, illnesses, lost workday cases, nonfatal cases without lost workdays, or the number of lost workdays. Simply replace the number of injuries and illnesses, (1) in the formula, with the measure for which the rate is being computed.

It is also possible to compute rates on a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis, or even by department or any other grouping of employees. The formula remains the same except the constant now would be 16,667 for a monthly calculation, 50,000 for a quarterly calculation, or 100,000 for a semi-annual calculation. The number of cases or days in the numerator and the hours worked in the denominator would be for the same time frame as the constant.

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Appendix C

GLOSSARY

Average Employment: The average number of full- and part-time employees who worked during the report period. This includes all classes of employees (e.g., administrative, seasonal, temporary, supervisory, clerical, professional, technical, sales, delivery, installation, construction, service personnel, as well as operating and related workers).

Establishment: A single physical location where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed (e.g., factory, mill, store, hotel, restaurant, movie theater, farm, ranch, bank, sales office, warehouse, or central administrative office). For firms engaged in activities which may be physically dispersed such as construction, transportation, communication, and electric, gas, and sanitary services, records may be maintained at the place to which employees normally report each day. For personnel who do not primarily report or work at a single establishment, such as traveling salesmen, technicians, engineers, their establishment would be at the location from which they are paid or the base from which these personnel operate to carry out their activities.

First Aid Treatment: One-time treatment and subsequent observation of minor scratches, cuts, burns, splinters, and so forth, which do not ordinarily require medical care.

Hours Worked: Total hours worked by all employees. Includes all time on duty, but excludes vacation, holiday, sick leave, and all other nonwork time even though paid.

Incidence Rate: Number of injuries and/or illnesses, or lost workdays per 100 full-time workers. The rate is calculated as:

(N/EH) X 200,000

where:

N = number of injuries and/or illnesses, or lost workdays

EH = Total hours worked by all employees during the calendar year

200,000 = base for 100 full-time equivalent workers (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year)

Lost Workday Cases: Cases which involve days away from work or days of restricted activity, or both.

Lost Workdays: The number of workdays (consecutive or not), beyond the day of injury or onset of illness, the employee was away from work or limited to restricted work activity because of an occupational injury or illness.

Lost workdays, away from work: The number of workdays (consecutive or not) on which the employee would have worked but could not because of an occupational injury or illness.
Lost Workdays, restricted work activity: The number of workdays (consecutive or not) on which, because of an injury or illness the employee:

was assigned to another job on a temporary basis,
worked at a permanent job less than full-time
worked at a permanently assigned job but could not perform all duties normally connected with it.

Low-Hazard Industries: Selected industries in retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and services which are regularly exempt from OSHA recordkeeping. To be included in this exemption, an industry must fall within an SIC not targeted for general schedule inspections and must have an average lost workday case injury rate for a designated three-year measurement period at or below 75.0 percent of the U.S. private sector average rate.

Medical Treatment: Treatment (other than first aid) administered by a physician or registered professional personnel under the standing orders of a physician. Medical treatment does not include first aid treatment even though provided by a physician or registered professional personnel.

Nonfatal Case Without Lost Workdays: Any recordable occupational injury or illness case which does not involve a fatality or lost workdays.

Occupational Illness: Any abnormal condition or disorder, other than one resulting from an occupational injury, caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment.

Occupational Injury: Any injury such as a cut, fracture, sprain, amputation, etc., which results from a work accident or from an exposure involving a single incident in the work environment.

Recordable Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: Any case which may be categorized in one the following classes is recordable:

occupational deaths, regardless of the time between injury, or length of illness, and death;
occupational illnesses; or
occupational injuries which involve one or more of the following: loss of consciousness, restriction of work or motion, transfer to another job, or medical treatment (other than first aid).

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC): A classification system developed by the Office of Statistical Standards, Executive Office of the President/Office of Management and Budget, for use in the classification of establishments by type of activity in which engaged. Each establishment is assigned an industry code for its major activity which is determined by the product or group of products or services rendered. Establishments may be classified as 2-digit, 3-digit, or 4-digit industries, according to the degree of information available.

Work Environment: The physical location, equipment, materials processed or used, and the kinds of operations performed by an employee in the performance of his/her work, whether on or off the employer's premises.

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Appendix E

RECORDKEEPING SUMMARY

Basic recordkeeping concepts and guidelines are included with instructions on the back of form OSHA No. 200. The following summarizes the major recordkeeping concepts and provides additional information to aid in keeping records accurately.

General concepts of recordability

An injury or illness is considered work related if it results from an event of exposure in the work environment. The work environment is primarily composed of: (1) The employer's premises, and (2) other locations where employees are engaged in work-related activities or are present as a condition of their employment. When an employee is off the employer's premises, work relationship must be established; when on the premises, this relationship is presumed. The employer's premises encompass the total establishment. This includes not only the primary facility, but also such areas as company storage facilities, cafeterias, and restrooms. In addition to physical locations, equipment or materials used in the course of an employee's work are also considered part of the employee's work environment.
All work-related fatalities are recordable.
All recognized or diagnosed work-related illnesses are recordable.
All work-related injuries requiring medical treatment or involving loss of consciousness, restriction of work or motion, or transfer to another job are recordable.

Analysis of injuries

Recordable and nonrecordable injuries. Each case is distinguished by the treatment provided; i.e., if the injury was such that medical treatment was provided or should have been provided, it is recordable; if only first aid was required, it is not recordable. However, medical treatment is only one of several criteria for determining recordability. Regardless of treatment, if the injury involved loss of consciousness, restriction of work or motion, or transfer to another job, the injury is recordable.

Medical treatment. The following procedures are generally considered medical treatment. Injuries for which this type of treatment was provided or should have been provided are almost always recordable if the injury is work related:

Treatment of INFECTION
Application of ANTISEPTICS during second or subsequent visit to medical personnel
Treatment of SECOND OR THIRD DEGREE BURN(S)
Application of SUTURES (stitches)
Application of BUTTERFLY ADHESIVE DRESSING(S) or STERI STRIP(S) in lieu of sutures
Removal of FOREIGN BODIES EMBEDDED IN EYE
Removal of FOREIGN BODIES FROM WOUND; if procedure is COMPLICATED because of depth of embedment, size, or location
Use of PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS (except a single dose administered on first visit for minor injury or discomfort)
Use of hot or cold SOAKING THERAPY during second or subsequent visit to medical personnel
Application of hot or cold COMPRESS(ES) during second or subsequent visit to medical personnel
CUTTING AWAY DEAD SKIN (surgical debridement)
Application of HEAT THERAPY during second or subsequent visit to medical personnel
Use of WHIRLPOOL BATH THERAPY during second or subsequent visit to medical personnel
POSITIVE X-RAY DIAGNOSIS (fractures, broken bones, etc.)
ADMISSION TO A HOSPITAL or equivalent medical facility FOR TREATMENT.

First aid treatment. The following procedures are generally considered first aid treatment (e.g., one-time treatment and subsequent observation of minor injuries) and should not be recorded if the work-related injury does not involve loss of consciousness, restriction of work or motion, or transfer to another job:

Application of ANTISEPTICS during first visit to medical personnel
Treatment of FIRST DEGREE BURNS(S)
Application of BANDAGES(S) during first visit to medical personnel
Use of ELASTIC BANDAGES(S) during first visit to medical personnel
Removal of FOREIGN BODIES NOT EMBEDDED IN EYE if only irrigation ir required
Removal of FOREIGN BODIES FROM WOUND; if procedure is UNCOMPLICATED, and is, for example, by tweezers or other simple technique
Use of NONPRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS AND administration of single dose of PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION on first visit for minor injury or discomfort
SOAKING THERAPY on initial visit to medical personnel or removal of bandages by SOAKING
Application of hot or cold COMPRESS(ES) during first visit to medical personnel
Application of OINTMENTS to abrasions to prevent drying or cracking
Use of WHIRLPOOL BATH THERAPY during first visit to medical personnel
NEGATIVE X-RAY DIAGNOSIS
OBSERVATION of injury during visit to medical personnel.

The following procedure, by itself, is not considered medical treatment:

Administration of TETANUS SHOT(S) or BOOSTERS(S). However, these shots are often given in conjunction with more serious injuries; consequently, injuries requiring these shots may be recordable for other reasons.

Reminder: Work-related injuries requiring only first aid treatment and that do not involve any of the conditions in item 4 above, are not recordable.

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