There’s some good news in North Carolina, according to a Nov. 2 report. The news has stated that the rate of illness and workplace injury in private industry has dropped to a historic low as of 2015. That has made North Carolina one of the safest states to work in within the entire United States.

In 2014, the rate of injury was 2.7 cases per 100 full-time workers. In 2015, that rate dropped to 2.6 cases per 100 full-time workers. That rate is well below the national average, which has been reported as 3.5 per 100 full-time workers in construction and 3.8 cases per 100 full-time workers in manufacturing.

Nationally, the average rate of injury is 3 injuries per 100 full-time workers across the board. North Carolina is now one of the top 10 safest states in which to work, which is good news for anyone currently employed in the state.

The reason that North Carolina is seeing a drop in the number of injuries is because employers are implementing safety and health programs that are helping them lower their costs and reduce the number of injuries in the workplace. A good safety program can pay for itself, since injuries can result in legal fees, lost work days and liability lawsuits.

Speaking of which, if you are hurt in North Carolina, know that it’s now uncommon but not unheard of. A workplace that isn’t safe can lead to accidents, and you could be victimized. In that case, you should be entitled to workers’ compensation to cover your expenses, medical bills and lost wages.

Source: WorkersCompensation.com, “Tar Heel State’s Workplace Injury and Illness Rate Drops to a Historic Low,” Nov. 02, 2016