The latest statistics showing an increase in illnesses and injuries among retail workers is a sobering reminder to retailers to protect their workers during the busy holiday shopping season.

For the first time since 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is reporting that in its latest estimates, nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses show no decline year-over-year and retail incidents involving injuries or illnesses increased for the first time since 2003. The retail trade accounted for 14 percent of all injuries and illnesses in the private sector in 2018 and is the only sector where the total number of recordable cases increased. In fact, the retail sector had more total recordable cases (TRC) than the mining, construction or manufacturing sectors.

BLS reported on Nov. 7 that there were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2018, unchanged from 2017. These data are estimates … Read more...