By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A severe work-related injury report was filed every 3.6 days in West Virginia in 2023 — significantly higher than neighboring states.
That’s according to data organized under a new data tool from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that mandates employers report all severe work-related injuries within 24 hours.
Such injuries are defined as an amputation, in-patient hospitalization or loss of an eye.
West Virginia had 102 severe injury reports in 2023, along with 88 workers hospitalized and 20 workers with amputations, according to OSHA data.
West Virginia’s number of severe injury reports increased 31% from 2021 to 2023, a trend of increasing danger not nearly as sharp in two states bordering the Mountain State that report incidents similarly: Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Ohio’s number of severe injury reports declined 7.3% in the same span. Pennsylvania’s total increased by only 4%.
West Virginia’s severe injury reports per 100,000 people in 2023 (5.75) exceeded that of Ohio (5.61) or Pennsylvania (5.45).
The most frequent sources of severe injuries resulting in such reports in West Virginia in 2023 in descending order were:
- Certain floors mandated by the National Electrical Code, a standard for safe installation of electrical
equipment and wiring - Natural gas
- Oil drilling rigs and machinery
- Floors, walkways and ground surfaces
- Roofs
