Hump Day the worst Day for Injuries on the Job

Workers looking for a good day to call in sick might want to pick Wednesday, since it's the most likely day to get injured on the job, according to a study by the Kansas Department of Labor.

The department's "2006 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses'' of 3,500 private businesses found that middle-of-the-week day is the most likely for an on-the-job injury or illness that requires additional time off.

The survey found that 2,050 of the workplace injuries requiring time off occurred on Wednesday, while each of the other four standard workdays had 1,620 to 1,880 such injuries. Sunday had the fewest on-the-job injuries requiring time off, with 530.

The random survey of private employers found there were an estimated 46,800 occupational injuries or illnesses during 2006. Of those, 21% required additional days off with a median length of seven days. Fractures resulted in the longest absences, which averaged 22 days.

The survey, which was produced in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, said an average of 128 nonfatal accidents or injuries occur each day at private Kansas employers.

Workers age 35-44 were most likely to get injured, and men accounted for 68% of all injuries requiring days away from work, according to the study.