Did You Know? – Facts about Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania

While many of the questions we receive about workers’ compensation relate to benefits and the process for obtaining them, numerous clients have been equally curious about the workers’ compensation system itself. What is it? How long has it been around? What types of injuries are affecting others throughout the state?

Below, we provide a quick look at some interesting facts about the workers’ compensation system and the injuries that are most often reported:

Did you know:

• Workers’ comp in Pennsylvania is administered by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the Workers’ Compensation Office of Adjudication and the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board, which are all parts of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I).
• 2015 marks the 100^th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, which was created in 1915. Partner Matt Wilson serves on the planning committee which is overseeing this years many events celebrating the Centennial.
• Recent changes to the state’s reporting standards ensure that both lost-time and medical-only claims are reported. This allows for a more accurate assessment of the workers’ compensation system in Pennsylvania.
• More than 60% of injuries reported through the workers’ compensation system come from the occupational fields of manufacturing, transportation, trade and utilities, education, and health services.
• In nearly all occupational sectors, the most common injuries reported are sprains and strains, and the most commonly affected body parts are the upper extremities (shoulders, arms, wrists, hands and fingers).
• Five industries (construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities) have notably high work-related fatality rates, and account for approximately half of all work-related fatalities in Pennsylvania each year. The remaining fatalities are spread across all other industries, which have significantly lower fatality rates.

You can learn more about the workers compensation system and workers compensation benefits in Pennsylvania by visiting the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation site (their year-end reports are especially informative) or exploring our website.