getting better all the time

Work place injuries and illnesses declined slightly in 2001, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported at the end of last year. The 2001 rate of 5.7 cases of injury and illness per 100 full-time workers reflected an 8-percent drop in cases from 2000 and was the lowest rate recorded since the BLS began reporting the inform a ti on in the early 1970s. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao calls the announcement "good news for America's workers, their families and their employers." But, she adds, more needs to be done. The rate among goods-producing businesses fell to 7.9 per 100 workers from 8.6 in 2000; service industries stayed steady at 5.1 cases per 100 workers. Trucking and warehousing, which are reported together, did not fare as well: Their rate was 8.4 cases per 100 workers.