In 2011, there were more than 2 million lost work days in healthcare, generating more than $13 billion in costs, according to a report in Professional Safety, the American Society of Safety Engineers journal.
Healthcare workers have some of the highest injury rates, but get few inspections from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration.
In fiscal year 2011, hospital worker injuries cost more than $6.1 billion, nursing and residential care worker injuries cost $4.8 billion and ambulatory health worker injuries cost $2.1 billion. In total, the healthcare industry lost $13.1 billion in lost time from worker injuries, according to the report.
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