In addition to looking at information on industries and occupations (see Table Three), it is also critical to
understand the causes and nature of work-related injuries and illnesses, and contributing factors to work
accidents, in order to address engineering and design improvements on the job. Here are some highlights
concerning these factors
1) Causation: The Maine BLS report on work related injuries and illnesses for 2005 examines two
characteristics related to causation: a) events or exposures (the manner in which the injury or illness
was produced) and b) the source of the injury or illness (“the object, substance, bodily motion, or work
environment which directly produced or inflicted the injury or illness”).
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According to the report, the two most common types of occupational events or exposures
resulting in injuries and illness were overexertion in lifting, occurring in 13.8% of all first reports
(1,916 cases), and falls to floor, walkways, or other surfaces, in 9.8% of first reports (1,361 cases).
In addition, the most common source identified in these reports was that of the bodily motion or
position of the injured worker. This source was identified in 18.4% of all 2005 first reports.