Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Uses and Limitations National and State policy makers use the survey as an indicator of the magnitude of occupational safety and health problems. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration uses the statistics to help determine which industries clearly need to improve safety programs and to measure the effectiveness of the 1970 act in reducing work-related injuries and illnesses. Both labor and management use the estimates in evaluating safety programs. Other users include insurance carriers involved in workers' compensation, industrial hygienists, manufacturers of safety equipment, researchers, and others concerned with job safety and health.
Many factors can influence counts and rates of injuries and illnesses in a given year.
These include not only the year's injury and illness experience but also the employer's understanding of which cases are work related under current recordkeeping guidelines of the U.S. Department of Labor. The number of injuries and illnesses reported in a given year also can be affected by changes in the level of economic activity, working conditions and work practices, worker experience and training, and the number of hours worked. Each year, the survey measures the number of new work-related illness cases which are recognized, diagnosed, and reported. But some conditions, for example, long-term latent illnesses caused by exposure to carcinogens, often are difficult to relate to the workplace and are not adequately recognized and reported. These long-term latent illnesses are believed to be understated in the survey.