Occupational injuries and illnesses, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Caribbean Territories have had relatively low incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injury and illness in recent years. In 2006, the incidence rate was 4.0 per 100 full-time workers in Puerto Rico and 2.1 in the U.S. Virgin Islands—in comparison, the rate was 4.4 in the United States.

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The incidence rate for all private sector cases in the U.S. Virgin Islands has declined steadily in recent years (similar to the downward trend in the United States), from 2.8 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2003 to 2.1 in 2006; the latter is about half the level experienced on the mainland.

These data are from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Effective January 1, 2002, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised its requirements for recording occupational injuries and illnesses. Due to the revised recordkeeping rule, the estimates from the 2002 survey are not comparable with those from previous years. For more information, see "Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in the U.S. Caribbean Territories, 1992-2006," by Bruce J. Bergman and James J. Hart, in Compensation and Working Conditions Online.