Full-time Equivalent Workers Research Articles

Establishing an EU-wide front-of-pack nutrition label: Review of options and model-based evaluation.

This paper reviews the effectiveness of four types of front-of-pack nutrition labels (FoPLs) in influencing calorie purchases. The four FoPL types are poised for unified implementation across European countries. Further, this study extends its analysis to evaluate the impacts of the voluntary adoption of these FoPLs within 27 EU nations. Nutri-Score displays higher potential for yielding positive health and economic outcomes, compared with other FoPLs. Across EU countries, Nutri-Score is projected to avert nearly two million cases of non-communicable diseases, in total, between 2023 and 2050. Keyhole demonstrates effects of a similar magnitude but with no statistical significance. Nutri-Repere shows smaller impacts, while Nutri-Couleurs has non-significant effects. Nutri-Score is projected to significantly lower annual healthcare spending by 0.05%, whereas the other labels have negligible impacts. By reducing cases of disease, FoPLs have the potential to improve employment and work productivity. Nutri-Score surpasses the other labels with an estimated annual gain of 10.6 full-time equivalent workers per 100,000 individuals of working age across EU countries. In all, mandatory implementation of any of the four labels would lead to greater effects than those obtained with a voluntary implementation, providing evidence to inform legislation proposal for an EU-wide nutrition labelling system.

COVID-19 MANDATORY VACCINATION OF SPECIAL STATUS PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES. AN ANALYSIS OF REQUESTS FOR EXEMPTION IN THE US AIR FORCE

One of the largest public sector operations in the world is within the United States of America military, with over 2 million service members and approximately 1.4 million full-time equivalent civilian workers, with bases and operations in at least 80 different nations. The US military made COVID-19 vaccinations (COVAX) mandatory among all members but allows for requests to accommodate refusals for reasons of personal beliefs. These can be beliefs of conscience, personal morality or religious expression, whether from organized or individual tenets. Multiple articles have been produced during the COVID-19 pandemic identifying willingness to receive COVAX or reasons for COVAX reluctance and refusal, but almost all data has been obtained from short-response surveys. Taking a departure from that, this study reviews the qualitative data from over 100 extensive interviews conducted with individual military members (from the US Air Force) who requested COVAX exemption. Their reasons given to refuse vaccination are also provided in a letter written by the member, regardless of rank, directly to the general at the top of their particular command. Examination of the reasons given provides unique insights into the thought processes of requestors. Regardless of the request’s outcome, this data demonstrates the administrative and policy importance placed by the US military on at least considering personal beliefs, even in a pandemic, and protecting individual freedoms, even of military members with curtailed rights. By far, disproportionate requests came from lower ranks with some mid-level leadership making formal requests to refuse the COVAX. In this sample, no top leadership requested exemptions. The analysis finds evidence for pressure exerted on members to not submit an exemption request. For those who did, the 111 requests were not a static or set doctrinal view. Arising from at least 29 distinct religious traditions, all requests showed signs of an emerging or developing sense of belief praxis in the face of new situations. Other dominant patterns also emerged. The study found critical objections to the use of fetal stem lines in developing available vaccines and concerns about potential vaccine side effects to the requestor’s body. Trust in the process and a sense of autonomy in participation also were found to be critically import to most requests.

Usability and Biomechanical Testing of Passive Exoskeletons for Construction Workers: A Field-Based Pilot Study

The labor-intensive nature of the construction industry requires workers to frequently perform physically demanding manual work, thereby exposing them to the risk of musculoskeletal injury (approximately 31.2 cases per 10,000 full-time equivalent workers). Exoskeletons and exosuits (collectively called EXOs here) are designed to protect workers from these injuries by reducing exertion and muscle fatigue during work. However, the usability of EXOs in construction is still not clear. This is because extant EXO assessments in construction were mainly conducted in laboratory environments with test participants who are not construction professionals. In this research, we conducted a pilot study to investigate the usability of EXOs in a real construction workplace. Four experienced workers were recruited to push/empty construction gondolas with and without a Back-Support EXO, HeroWear Apex. Three workers were recruited to install/remove wooden blocks between steel studs with and without two Arm-Support EXOs, i.e., Ekso EVO and Hilti EXO-001. Their motions, postures, heart rates, and task completion times were recorded and compared. The workers were also surveyed to gather their attitudes toward the EXO’s usefulness and ease of use. The study results demonstrated that the workers responded to the use of EXOs differently and consequently were not unanimously in favor of EXO adoption in practice. The preliminary results and findings from this pilot study help in building a foundation of understanding to improve EXO products to fit the needs of construction workers and foster EXO-enabled construction tasks in the future.

Analysis of Exertion-Related Injuries and Fatalities in Laborers in the United States.

Laborers are particularly vulnerable to exertional injuries and illnesses, as they often engage in heavy physical work for prolonged hours, yet no studies have examined the top causes of catastrophic exertional injuries and fatalities among this population. The purpose of the investigation was to characterize the top causes of exertional injury and fatality within open access, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reportable data. A secondary analysis of OSHA reported injury and fatality data was performed through open access records from OSHA Severe Injury Reports (2015-2022) and OSHA fatality inspection data (2017-2020), respectively. The research team characterized each reported injury and fatality as "exertion-related" or "non-exertion-related. Injury and fatality rates were reported per 100,000 equivalent full-time worker years and included 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Of 58,648 cases in the OSHA Severe Injury Report database from 2015-2020, 1682 cases (2.9%) were characterized as exertional (0.20 injuries per 100,000 full-time worker years, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.22). Heat-related injuries encompassed 91.9% of the exertional injuries (n = 1546). From the 2017-2022 OSHA fatality inspection database, 89 (1.9%) of 4598 fatalities were characterized as exertion-related (fatality rate: 0.0160 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, 95% CI: 0.009, 0.0134). The exertion-related fatalities primarily consisted of heat-related cases (87.6%). Exertion-related injuries and fatalities were most reported in Southeast states, in the construction and excavation industry, and among nonunionized workers. As heat stress continues to be recognized as an occupational health and safety hazard, this analysis further highlights the need for targeted interventions or further evaluation of the impact of heat stress on construction and excavation workers, nonunionized workers, and workers in Southeastern states.

Forecasting Staffing Needs for Ontario's Long-Term Care Sector.

This paper presents a forecasting model for personal support workers (PSWs) and nurses (registered nurses [RNs] and registered practical nurses [RPNs]) for Ontario's long-term care (LTC) sector. In the base-case scenario, the model projects a shortfall in the supply of full-time equivalent (FTE) workers required to meet the expected demand for care for all workers by 2035, which would require an estimated increase of 11,632 FTE PSWs, 6,031 FTE RNs and 10,178 FTE RPNs entering the market by 2035. The results of this paper may have important implications for health human resources policy planning in Ontario's LTC sector.

Characterization of Musculoskeletal Injury Risk in Dungeness Crab Fishing

ABSTRACT Objectives: Commercial Dungeness crab fishermen’s manual crab pot handling activities can be done in harsh outdoor working environments at sea and can pose well-known physical risk factors associated with musculoskeletal injury including forceful exertion, repetition and awkward posture. The nonfatal injury rate in this fishing fleet is 3.4 per 1,000 full-time equivalent workers. Two-thirds of self-reported injuries in the fleet were musculoskeletal sprains and strains. To date, no objective biomechanical assessment of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk has been conducted due to the challenging work environment. Methods: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of collecting objective biomechanical assessments (i.e., posture and repetition) using inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors placed on the arms and torso of professional deckhands (n = 7) while at sea, harvesting Dungeness crab. Based on the IMU-measured posture data, fishermen’s anthropometry, and crab pot weights, biomechanical loading of the low back and both shoulders was estimated. Results: The IMU sensor data showed that commercial Dungeness crab fishing is highly repetitive and poses awkward postures in the shoulders and back. The estimated static low back compression, shear force, and flexion moment about the shoulders and low back (L5/S1) indicate potential injury risk associated with harvesting crab. Conclusion: The results indicate that objective biomechanical assessment using the IMU sensors is feasible in the commercial fishing environment.

Comparative Analysis of the National Fatality Rate in Construction Industry Using Time-Series Approach and Equivalent Evaluation Conditions.

Fatality rates such as fatalities per full-time equivalent workers are officially used to compare the risk level of the construction industry among various countries. However, each country evaluates the fatality rate using different conditions. This paper presents the comparison of fatality rates of various countries using conventional (national data) and pair (equivalent condition) methods through a time-series approach. The research was conducted in three stages. The risk level was evaluated in order in South Korea (1.54), Japan (0.84), Mexico (0.83), China (0.70), United Kingdom (0.15), and Singapore (0.13) in terms of national data. However, the risk level was re-evaluated in order in China (2.27), South Korea (2.05), Mexico (1.23), Singapore (0.98), Japan (0.80), and United Kingdom (0.47) in terms of equivalent conditions. The risk level of each can be changed when the fatality rate is compared under given equivalent conditions.

Time Trends of Percutaneous Injuries in Hospital Nurses: Evidence of the Interference between Effects of Adoption of Safety Devices and Organizational Factors.

Few studies have focused on the combined effects of devices and work organization on needlestick injuries trends. The aim of the study was to estimate trends of percutaneous injury rates (IR) in nurses (N) and nurse assistants (NA) over a 10 year period, in which passive safety devices were progressively adopted. Percutaneous and mucocutaneous injuries registered in a University Hospital in Northern Italy in Ns and NAs in 2007–2016 were analyzed. Organizational data were also available on shift schedules, turnover, downsizing and age- and skill-mix. We estimated IRs per 100 full-time equivalent workers from Poisson models and their average annual percent changes (APC) from joinpoint regression model. In the entire period, monotonic decreases in percutaneous IRs occurred among day-shift Ns (APC = −20.9%; 95% CI: −29.8%, −12%) and NAs (APC = −15.4%; −32.9%, 2.2%). Joinpoint modeling revealed a turning point in 2012 for night-shift Ns, with a steady decline in 2007–2012 (APC = −19.4%; −27.9%, −10.9%), and an increase thereafter (APC = +13.5%; 1.5%, 25.5%). In comparison to 2008 and 2012, in 2016 night-shift Ns were 5.9 and 2.5 times more likely to be younger and less qualified or experienced than day-shift Ns. The observed declines in percutaneous injury rates occurred in a time period when safety devices were progressively implemented. The causal nature of multiple exposures and organizational procedures in affecting injury time trends should be further addressed by quasi-experimental studies.

Prevention through Design in New Technologies

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the fatal work injury rate is at 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers for all industries combined. In 2018, the agriculture, forestry, fishing, a...

Labor Unions and Workplace Safety

The authors examine the effect of labor unions on workplace safety. For identification, they exploit the timing and outcome of union elections, using establishments in which elections narrowly fail as a comparison group for establishments in which elections narrowly pass. Data on elections come from the National Labor Relations Board, and data on workplace safety come from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The results indicate that unionization had no detectable effect on accident case rates at the mean, but shifted downward the case-rate distribution below 2 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers annually. The downward shift is most evident among larger bargaining units and manufacturing establishments. Results at the higher end of case-rate distribution are inconclusive.

The economic impact of familial hypercholesterolemia on productivity

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common inherited cause for premature coronary artery disease that increases suffering and disability in affected people. However, the extent to which FH impacts work productivity at a population level is unclear. We aimed to quantify the burden of heterozygous FH (HeFH) in terms of productivity-adjusted life years (PALYs) lost to HeFH in Australia. A life-table model was constructed to quantify years of life and PALYs lived by Australians with HeFH (prevalence 1 in 300) and of working age (aged 20-69years). Follow-up was simulated until age 70years. The model was then resimulated, but assuming the cohort did not have HeFH. Increased cardiovascular mortality and reduction in productivity attributable to HeFH were sourced from published data. Differences in total years of life, quality-adjusted life years, and PALYs lived by the "HeFH cohort" and the same cohort without HeFH ("non-HeFH cohort") reflected the quality-adjusted life years and PALYs lost due to HeFH. All future costs and outcomes were discounted by 5% annually. In 2017, an estimated 51,587 people of working age in Australia (0.33%) had HeFH. Over their working lifetime, we predicted that 2950 excess cardiovascular deaths occurred in the current Australian population of working age individuals with HeFH, resulting in a loss of 24,727years of life. In terms of productivity, HeFH led to the loss of 24,954 PALYs over the working lifetime. Based on gross domestic product (GDP) per full-time equivalent worker, this equated to a total of AUD 5.23 billion in lost GDP over the working lifetime, with an average of AUD 101,366 lost per person. A relative reduction of 20% in cardiovascular deaths (as can be achieved with adequate cholesterol control) would lead to 1113 PALYs and AUD 233 million in GDP saved in the HeFH cohort. The impact of HeFH on work productivity is significant. Screening and prevention strategies tailored early in life are likely to exert not only a positive impact on health but also the economy.

Productivity Burden of Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Australia: A Life Table Modelling Study.

Background: Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is one of the most common yet preventable occupational diseases. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden of ONIHL in the Australian working population by quantifying and monetising ONIHL—related loss of Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) and Productivity Adjusted Life Years (PALYs). Methods: We simulated the number of moderate-to-severe ONIHL by multiplying the age-specific prevalence of occupational noise exposure by the excess risks of ONIHL. Life table modelling was applied to workers with ONIHL. The QALY and PALY weights attributable to hearing loss were sourced from published data. The 2016 Gross Domestic Product per full-time equivalent worker in Australia was used to estimate the cost of productivity loss due to ONIHL. The cost due to the loss of well-being was quantified using willingness to pay thresholds derived from an Australian longitudinal study. Results: Under current occupational noise exposure levels in Australia, we estimated that over 80,000 male workers and over 31,000 female workers would develop ONIHL over 10 years of exposure. Following this cohort until the age of 65 years, the estimated loss of QALYs and PALYs were 62,218 and 135,561 respectively, with a projected loss of AUD 5.5 billion and AUD 21.3 billion due to well-being and productivity loss, respectively. Reducing noise exposure at work would substantially reduce the economic burden of ONIHL. Conclusion: ONIHL imposes substantial burden on Australian economy. Interventions to reduce occupational noise exposure are warranted.

Agro-industrial accidents linked to length of service, operation site and confidence in employer adherence to safety rules

BackgroundThe agriculture sector consistently ranks among the most hazardous occupational industries globally with high risk of job-related injuries, illnesses, disability, and death. In 2015, the agricultural fatal work injury rate in the United States was 22.8 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers; seven times the all-worker fatal injury rate of 3.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. In this study we identified the factors that are associated with workplace accident and injuries at the Goldtree (SL) Limited Company - a private international agro-industrial palm kernel oil company operating in eastern Sierra Leone.MethodsThis is a descriptive research that made use of both qualitative and quantitative research techniques to collect and analyse agro-industrial occupation-related accident and injuries of workers attached to the Goldtree (SL) Limited Company, an international palm kernel oil producing and marketing company in Sierra Leone. We analyzed the responses of 100 workers at the Goldtree (SL) Limited Company that are related to their work safety, adherence to work safety guidelines as well as working habit.ResultsThirty nine (39.0%) of the workers interviewed in this study said they had been involved in some forms of occupational accident; (33.3%) of those involved in some form of occupational-related accidents have been working in the company for 3–5 years, 22.0% have been working at the company for at least 2 years; 7.7% have been working for 6–8 years (X2 = 9.88, p-value = 0.02).ConclusionWorkers who have spent few years in the job, and those workers who have confidence that management is committed to addressing health and safety issues, believed that their working tools were in excellent condition, or agreed that they have the rights and responsibilities for an effective workplace health and safety system have decreased odds of experiencing occupational-related accidents or injury at the study site.

Occupational differences in workers' compensation indemnity claims among direct care workers in Minnesota nursing homes, 2005-2016.

Nursing assistants have one of the highest injury rates in the U.S., but few population-based studies assess differential injury risk by occupation in nursing homes. This statewide study assessed differences in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and patient handling injuries among direct care workers in Minnesota nursing homes. Indemnity claims from the Minnesota workers' compensation database were matched to time at risk from the Minnesota Nursing Home Report Card to estimate 2005 to 2016 injury and illness claim rates for certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and registered nurses (RNs). Associations between occupation and claim characteristics were assessed using multivariable regression modeling. Indemnity claim rates were 3.68, 1.38, and 0.69 per 100 full-time equivalent workers for CNAs, LPNs, and RNs, respectively. Patient handling injuries comprised 62% of claims. Compared to RNs, CNAs had higher odds of an indemnity claim resulting from an MSD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-2.14) or patient handling injury (OR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.47-2.45) as opposed to another type of injury or illness. CNAs had lower odds of receiving temporary and permanent partial disability benefits and higher odds of receiving a stipulation settlement. CNAs in Minnesota nursing homes are at heightened risk for lost time MSDs and patient handling injuries. Claims filed by CNAs are more frequently settled outside the regular workers' compensation benefit structure, an indication that the workers' compensation system is not providing adequate and timely benefits to these workers.

On the productivity effects of training apprentices in Hungary: evidence from a unique matched employer–employee dataset

This paper investigates the effects of training apprentices on the productivity of Hungarian firms. In order to retrieve a causal estimate of the effects of apprenticeship training on firm performance, we apply a set of dynamic panel data estimation techniques. We create a unique administrative matched employer–employee panel dataset containing over 40,000 employers in Hungary over the period between 2003 and 2011 in the manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail, and hotels and restaurants sector. Our results indicate that an increase in the share of apprentices (per full-time equivalent worker) decreases the productivity of Hungarian firms in all four sectors. Further, we observe that retention rates of apprentices are low and further slacken in the final years of observation.

Workers' compensation claims for traumatic brain injuries among private employers-Ohio, 2001-2011.

The purpose of this analysis was to identify and prioritize high-risk industry groups for traumatic brain injury (TBI) prevention efforts. Workers with TBI from 2001 to 2011 were identified from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation data. To prioritize industry groups by claim type (lost-time (≥8 days away from work) and total claims) and injury event categories, we used a prevention index (PI) that averaged TBI counts and rate ranks (PI = (count rank + rate rank)/2). TBI rates per 10 000 estimated full-time equivalent (FTE = 2000 h/y) workers were calculated. From 2001 to 2011, 12 891 TBIs were identified among private employers, resulting in a rate of 5.1 TBIs per 10 000 FTEs. Of these, 40% (n = 5171) were lost-time TBIs, at a rate of 2.0 per 10 000 FTEs. Spectator Sports had the highest lost-time TBI rate (13.5 per 10 000 FTEs), whereas General Freight Trucking had the greatest number of lost-time TBIs (n = 293). Based on PIs, General Freight Trucking ranked first for lost-time TBIs for all injury events combined. Several industry groups within Construction, General and Specialized Freight Trucking, Services to Building and Dwellings, Employment Services, and Restaurants and Other Eating Places ranked high across multiple injury event categories for lost-time TBIs. The high-ranking industry groups identified from our study can be used to effectively direct occupational TBI prevention efforts.

Occupational injuries among police workers: Patterns and contributing factors in an Australian jurisdiction

Police are regularly exposed to potentially traumatic events, which puts them at risk of physical and psychological injury. International evidence suggests that police have high injury rates relative to other occupations, however most research either focuses on specific situations (e.g., use of force); specific injury causes (e.g., weapons); or specific injury types (e.g. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). Few studies have focused on understanding injury patterns across the workforce. Thus, the primary objective of this paper was to describe the rate, mechanisms, type and costs of occupational injuries experienced by police in one Australian jurisdiction.Using administrative workers’ compensation claims data, claims records of police were examined for the period 2003/04–2011/12. Descriptive analyses were conducted to characterise the distribution of first and subsequent claims, stratified by claim type (minor, medical and time loss). Rates were calculated using labour force statistics (per 1000 full-time equivalent workers).This study described a number of factors associated with the incidence of injury among police. Over the study period, there was a decrease in first claim rates and an increase in subsequent claim rates across all claim types. Key findings to inform prevention strategies included that younger males (in the 35–44 year age groups) made the most claims, and the greatest proportion of injuries for medical and time loss claims were caused by body stressing (e.g., lifting, carrying). Future research linking corporate statistics to operational/incident information would be beneficial to understand the specific incident factors that are important in outcomes.

Reported injury, hospitalization, and injury fatality rates among New Jersey adolescent workers

BackgroundWorkplace injuries are a public health concern, including among adolescents and young adults. Secondary school career-technical-vocational education related injuries are mandated by code under jurisdiction of New Jersey Department of Education to be reported online to New Jersey Safe Schools Program. These are the only U.S. law-based surveillance data for young workers in secondary school career-technical-vocational education. New Jersey Department of Health’s hospitalization and fatality records provide additional information about other secondary school career-technical-vocational education and non- secondary school career-technical-vocational education related injuries not necessarily reported to New Jersey Safe Schools Program. This report compared data available to the New Jersey Department of Health and New Jersey Safe Schools Program on injuries among young workers ages 14–21 years.MethodsAnnual work-related hospitalizations, 2007–2016, were abstracted from hospital discharge data. Denominator data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics was used to estimate annual crude rate of hospitalizations per 100,000 employed persons. Hospitalization rates were stratified by demographic data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hospitalization rates for primary diagnoses and job title/status with ≥2 documented cases were reported. Annual crude fatality rates per 100,000 full time equivalent workers, age ≥ 16 years, were estimated for 1990–2016 using annual average full time equivalent workers and the U.S. National Institute Occupational Safety and Health’s Employed Labor Force Query System as denominator.ResultsAnnual crude hospitalization rates decreased over time. Hospitalization and fatality rates were higher among young adult workers ages 19–21 years; non-Hispanic Whites; and, males. Percent fatality for ages 19–21 years was greater than ages 14–17 years and 18 years. Declines in hospitalization rates corresponded to decreases in reported injuries among career-technical-vocational education students. Age distribution varied slightly between hospital discharge data and New Jersey Safe Schools Program data.ConclusionHospitalization and fatality rates were higher among males than among females, possibly reflecting a tendency for males to engage in riskier jobs than females. Understanding injury disparities can inform public health prevention efforts. Trainings/interventions should aim at addressing the most frequently diagnosed conditions or nature of reported injuries, within those most impacted career clusters like sales/restaurant workers.

Economic evaluation of transplant robots for plant cuttings

Transplanting of unrooted plant cuttings to produce rooted liner trays is a manufacturing process that requires considerable manual labor. However, increasing labor cost and reduced labor availability has increased interest in automation. The objective was to evaluate return on investment of transplanting robots, and identify key factors that businesses should consider when purchasing a transplanting robot. Data on labor costs, cuttings transplanted, and costs of automated transplanting were surveyed at six greenhouse firms. The resulting average scenario assumed an annual labor cost of $408,377 to manually transplant 29.3 million (M) cuttings at $12.49 per hour, resulting in a cost of $0.014 per cutting. An investment of $125,000 in one transplant robot operated for up to 76 h per week (2 shifts) had an annualized cost of $70,270 ($6,250 cost of ownership and $64,020 labor cost for robot operators). The robot could transplant 7.2 M cuttings per year (25% of the total), at an average cost of $0.010 per cutting compared with $0.014 for manual transplanting. With these assumptions, over 10 years the transplant robot would yield an annual cash flow saving of $29,891 a Net Present Value (NPV) of $105,807 and a discounted payback period of 4.8 years. Each transplant robot would reduce labor requirements during the peak week by two full time equivalent workers (3% of total workforce). Sensitivity analysis showed investment in automatic transplanting was increasingly profitable with a high local wage, and low manual labor efficiency (few cuttings per workers). There were economies of scale when more than one robot was used. Greater efficiency resulted from increasing hours of robot operation during the peak period, and in operations where cuttings were transplanted throughout the year. Results can be used to evaluate the impact of automation on labor cost and availability for the transplant process.

Rates of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in a State Workers' Compensation Information System, by Industry and Occupation - California, 2007-2014.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the median nerve becomes compressed as it passes through the wrist within the carpal tunnel, resulting in pain, tingling, weakness, or numbness in the hand or the wrist. Occupational risk factors for CTS include engaging in work activities that require forceful, repetitive tasks, prolonged use of the hands or wrists in an awkward posture, or vibration (1). To assess trends and identify high-risk industries and occupations for CTS, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) analyzed California workers' compensation claims for CTS by industry (2007-2014) and occupation (2014) and calculated rates per full-time equivalent (FTE) worker. During 2007-2014, a total of 139,336 CTS cases were reported (incidence=6.3 cases per 10,000 FTE) in California workers; the rate among women (8.2) was 3.3 times higher than that among men (2.5). Industries with the highest rates of CTS were textile, fabric finishing, and coating mills (44.9), apparel accessories and other apparel manufacturing (43.1), and animal slaughtering and processing (39.8). Industries with high rates of CTS should consider implementing intervention measures, including ergonomic evaluations and development of tools and instruments that require less repetition and force and that correct awkward postures.