In an election year, the media tends to focus on issues which cost both New York and the nation a great deal of money and time. Interestingly, one of the most costly healthcare issues currently plaguing the country gets very little attention in the media.

Workplace injuries and work-related illnesses cost both individual workers and the general economy a staggering amount of money. A recent study indicates that these occupational health issues cost Americans roughly $250 billion a year.

It can be challenging to put such a large number in perspective. Comparatively, work injury and illness costs Americans $76 billion more than costs related to diabetes and $31 billion more than costs related to every kind of cancer.

Not only are costs astonishingly high, they have been growing significantly over the past two decades. When adjusted for inflation, these work-related health costs have risen over $33 billion since 1992.

In a single recent year, workers suffered approximately:

  • 500,000 work-related illnesses (cost: $58 billion)
  • 8.5 million work-related injuries (cost: $192 billion)
  • 59,000 work-related fatalities

One of the study's authors concluded that, "The findings are a strong indication that the United States needs to place greater emphasis on reducing work-related injury and illness."

He went on to state that, "It's unfortunate that occupational health doesn't get the attention it deserves. The costs are enormous and continue to grow. And the potential for health risks are high, given that most people between the ages of 22 to 65 spend 40 percent of their waking hours at work."

Source: HealthDay, "U.S. Work-Related Injuries, Illnesses Take Toll on the Till," Jan. 20, 2012