Made in America: Number of nonfatal work injuries fall in 2015

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 144 views 

Editor’s note: Each Sunday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Made In America,” a round-up of state and global manufacturing news.

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NUMBER OF NONFATAL WORK INJURIES FALL IN 2015
There were approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2015, which occurred at a rate of 3.0 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The 2015 rate continues a pattern of declines that, apart from 2012, occurred annually for the last 13 years. Private industry employers reported nearly 48,000 fewer nonfatal injury and illness cases in 2015 compared to a year earlier, according to estimates from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Six of the 19 private industry sectors reported a decline in the rate of injuries and illnesses in 2015: mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; manufacturing; transportation and warehousing; finance and insurance; health care and social assistance; and accommodation and food services.

INDUSTRY TRADE GROUPS TO COORDINATE ‘MANUFACTURING DAY’ ACTIVITIES NATIONWIDE
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the nation’s largest manufacturing trade group, and the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA) announced Friday that the industry trade groups will assume day-to-day coordination of the Manufacturing Day brand and will lead the production of all events across the U.S.

With more than 2,700 events held and more than 400,000 participants in 2016, Manufacturing Day celebrates modern manufacturing as manufacturers across the country open their doors to students, parents and teachers with the goal of strengthening the public perception of modern manufacturing. In Arkansas, there were more than 20 Manufacturing Day events held across the state in October. Learn more about Manufacturing Day at www.mfgday.com.

GE PRINTS LAPTOP-SIZED 3D PART
U.S. industrial conglomerate GE said on Oct. 27 it has achieved a new advanced manufacturing benchmark in “additive manufacturing” technology with the installation of the world’s largest 3-D printed part in its GT13E2 gas turbine at Vattenfall’s Heizkraftwerk Berlin-Mitte power plant in Germany. The 3-D printed Combustor Zone 1 Segment weighs 4.5 Kg and is the size of a laptop.

GE also announced that it Power Services unit has launched its new Fleet360 platform to showcase its enhanced total plant capabilities to service both GE and cross-fleet power generation equipment for utility and industrial plant operators worldwide. This launch comes one year after acquiring Alstom’s power generation and services assets for $13.5 billion.

GE announced on Oct. 11 its plans to purchase Danish wind turbine maker LM Wind Power for $1.65 billion, allowing the U.S. industrial giant to continue expanding its renewable energy reach across the globe. LM Wind Power operates a scaled-down manufacturing facility at the Little Rock Port Authority where the company’s payroll has ranged from 100 workers to more than 500.