A tool used to determine the number of workdays an employee is unable to perform their regular job duties due to a work-related injury or illness. For instance, if an employee sustains an injury on a Monday and is unable to return to work until the following Monday, the recorded figure would reflect five days away from work, excluding the weekend. This calculation directly informs an organization’s injury and illness rates as reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
This computation serves as a critical metric for evaluating workplace safety performance. Accurate recording provides a basis for identifying trends, areas of concern, and the effectiveness of implemented safety programs. Historically, the tracking of lost workdays has been a cornerstone of workplace injury surveillance, facilitating comparisons across industries and over time. This data drives improvements in hazard identification and control, preventing future incidents and fostering a safer work environment.
