A total of 4.7 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry workplaces during 2002, resulting in a rate of 5.3 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"We're proud of the progress we're making, but we're not complacent," said OSHA chief John Henshaw.

Among goods-producing industry divisions, incidence rates during 2002 ranged from 4.0 cases per 100 full-time workers in mining to 7.2 cases in manufacturing. Within the service-providing sector, incidence rates ranged from 1.7 cases in finance, insurance, and real estate to 6.1 cases in transportation and public utilities.

Because of changes to OSHA's recordkeeping requirements, the data for 2002 are not comparable with data for prior years.

Approximately 2.5 million injuries and illnesses were cases with days away from work, job transfer, or restriction — requiring recuperation away from work, transfer to another job, restricted duties at work, or a combination of these actions.

The remaining 2.2 million injuries and illnesses were other recordable cases that did not result in time away from work.

The incidence rate for cases with days away from work, job transfer, or restriction was 2.8 cases per 100 workers, and the rate for other recordable cases was 2.5.