Number of injuries and illnesses with days
away from work, 2003-2004
1,400,000
1,315,920
1,259,320
1,200,000
1,000,000
Private industry
Goods producing industries
Service providing industries
908,310
850,930
800,000
600,000
407,610
408,400
2003
2004
400,000
200,000
Injuries and illnesses
The number of injuries and illnesses resulting in time away from work declined by 4.3 percent from 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
1
Percent change in incidence rate of injuries and illnesses with days
away from work by selected events and exposures, 2003-2004
Below
average
improvement
Did not
improve
Above average
improvement
Repetitive motion
Slips, trips
Struck against object
Overexertion
Overexertion in lifting
Exposed to harmful substance
Total
All events and exposures -5.8%
Fall on same level
Fall to lower level
Caught in object, equipment, material
Contact with object, equipment
Struck by object
Fires, explosions
Assault, violent act by person
Transportation accidents
Assault, violent act
10.0
5.0
0.0
-5.0
-10.0
-15.0
The incidence rate for all events and exposures improved by 5.8 percent between 2003 and 2004.
This chart shows six events that improved more than the average, one event that improved the same as the average,
three events that improved less than the average, and five events that did not improve.
2
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
Occupations with the most injuries and illnesses
with days away from work, 2004
Laborers and freight, stock,
and material movers, hand
89,250
63,570
Truck drivers, heavy / tractor-trailer
51,940
Nursing aides, orderlies, attendants
Construction laborers
37,930
37,160
Truck drivers, light / delivery services
Janitors and cleaners
33,580
Retail salespersons
33,160
Carpenters
30,450
Stock clerks and order fillers
24,250
Maintenance & repair workers, general
21,050
0
10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000 90,000 100,000
Injuries and Illnesses
(1,259,320 injuries and illnesses with days away from work)
Laborers and material movers suffered the most injuries and illnesses with days away from work in 2004, followed by
heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers and nursing aides, orderlies and attendants.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
3
Occupations with the most injuries and illnesses
with days away from work, 2003-2004
100,000
90,000
80,000
2003
2004
70,000
Injuries and
illnesses that
resulted in
days away
from work
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
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Laborers and material movers; heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers; and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants had the
most injuries and illnesses with days away from work in both 2003 and 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
4
Shares of nonfatal injuries and illnesses with days away
from work and employment for occupations with the
most injuries and illnesses, 2004
10.0%
9.0%
8.0%
Percentage of injuries and illnesses
Percentage of employment
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
3.0%
2.0%
S
an toc
d kc
or le
de rk
rf s
M
ill
re ain
er
pa te
s
ir na
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or ce
ke a
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en
er
al
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s
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R
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sp
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so
ns
J
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ea to
ne rs
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d ers
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s
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ia s a
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er
m in
s
e g,
he p
al sy
t h ch
ai iat
de ri
s c,
0.0%
C
la on
bo st
re ruc
rs ti
on
1.0%
Drivers/sales workers and truck drivers; laborers and material movers; nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides;
construction laborers; janitors and cleaners; carpenters; stock clerks and order filers; and general maintenance and repair
workers experienced a higher percentage of injuries and illnesses than their employment share.
Retail salespersons experienced a lower percentage of injuries and illnesses than their employment share.
NOTE: CPS employment data were not available for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers; light or delivery service truck drivers; and
nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants. These occupations were included in higher level detail on this chart.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
5
Employment and nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses
with days away from work by occupation group, 2004
Management, business, and financial
13.0%
2.3%
Professional and related
16.8%
6.8%
16.2%
Service
Sales and related
Farming, fishing, and forestry
14.9%
7.1%
Percentage of employment
Percentage of injuries and illnesses
0.8%
1.4%
6.0%
Construction and extraction
4.0%
Installation, maintenance, and repair
Production
11.4%
8.6%
8.5%
14.8%
7.0%
Transportation and material moving
Not reported
12.8%
6.5%
Office and administrative support
20.5%
20.4%
0.1%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
1,259,320 injuries and illnesses with days away from work
Employment - Current Population Survey, Private Wage and Salary Workers
Transportation and material movers; production workers; installation, maintenance, and repair workers;
construction and extraction workers, farming, fishing, and forestry workers; and service workers
had a much higher share of injuries and illnesses than their employment share would suggest.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
6
Occupations with the highest median days away from work,
2004
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer
12
Truck drivers, light or delivery services
12
Transportation workers, all other
12
Industrial machinery mechanics
11
Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery,
and greenhouse
11
Construction laborers
10
Electricians
10
Carpenters
9
Metal workers and plastic workers, all other
9
Industrial truck and tractor operators
9
7
All occupations
0
2
4
6
8
10
Median days away from work
12
14
Of the occupations with at least 1/2% of the total days away from work cases, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers; light
or delivery truck drivers; and transportation workers, other had medians of 12 days. Industrial machinery mechanics and
farmworkers had medians of 11 days. Construction laborers and electricians each had a median of 10 days.
This compared to a median of 7 days for all occupations.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
7
Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with days away
from work and employment by major industry, 2004
Goods producing
industries
Goods producing
industries
21.1%
32.4%
67.6%
Service providing
industries
Injuries and illnesses with
days away from work
78.9%
Service providing
industries
Employment
(BLS- Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages)
(Total = 1,259,320 injuries and illnesses)
Goods producing industries made up about 21 percent of private industry employment but accounted for 32 percent of
the injuries and illnesses with days away from work while service providing industries made up about 79 percent of the
employment and 68 percent of the injuries and illnesses in 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
8
Nonfatal injuries and illnesses with days away from work and
hours worked by gender of worker, 2004
Women
Women
33.8%
41.1%
65.9%
58.9%
Men
Men
Injuries and illnesses with
days away from work
Hours worked
(Total = 1,259,320 injuries and illnesses)
(Current Population Survey,
Chart excludes unreported data.
Private Wage and Salary Workers)
Almost two-thirds of the injured or ill workers were men, well above their 59 percent share of the nation’s hours worked.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
9
Nonfatal injuries and illnesses with days away from work
and hours worked by age of worker, 2004
30.0%
26.3% 26.2%
25.0%
24.1% 24.0%
Injuries and illnesses
23.0%
21.6%
Hours worked
20.0%
15.0%
11.3%
10.4%
10.2%
10.0%
5.0%
11.1%
3.0% 3.1%
1.9% 2.3%
0.0%
16 - 19
20 - 24
25 - 34
35 - 44
45 - 54
55 - 64
65 +
Age of worker
1,259,320 injuries and illnesses
with days away from work.
Chart excludes unreported data.
Hours worked
(Current Population Survey,
Private Wage and Salary Workers)
Workers 20 to 44 had a slightly higher share of injuries and illnesses in 2004, while workers 45 and older had a
somewhat lower share, than each of their hours worked shares suggest.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
10
Median days away from work due to nonfatal occupational
injuries and illnesses with days away from work by age of worker,
2004
18
65 and over
12
55 to 64
10
45 to 54
8
35 to 44
Age of
worker
6
25 to 34
All ages
median
5
20 to 24
4
16 to 19
7
14 to 15
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Median days away from work
Except for 14 to 15 year olds, the median days away from work due to nonfatal occupational injuries
and illnesses increased as the age of the worker increased in 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
11
Percentage of nonfatal injuries and illnesses with days away from
work by race or ethnic origin and selected industries, 2003-2004
50.0
2003
46.9 47.0
2004
45.0
40.0
37.3
32.9
35.0
30.4 29.5
30.0
25.0
20.0
17.2
8.2 8.2
10.0
16.5 15.4
14.3 14.8
12.2 13.1
15.0
18.3
7.2
8.2
L
ho eis
sp ure
ita a
lit nd
y
E
he duc
al at
th io
se n a
rv n
ic d
es
M
an
uf
ac
tu
rin
g
on
st
ru
ct
io
n
C
Black
only
N
White
only
To
ta
a
an tu
l
r
d a
m lr
in es
in o
g ur
ce
s
5.0
Not
reported
Hispanic or Latino only
There were just over 164,000 injuries and illnesses with days away from work among Hispanic and Latino workers
in 2004, up by 4,000 over 2003. About 30 percent of cases do not report race and ethnicity data.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
12
Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with
days away from work by length of service, 2004
Not reported
0.7%
More than 5 years
30.4%
Less than 1 year
33.4%
Less than 1 year
25.1%
More than 5 years
35.3%
1 to 5 years
39.6%
1 to 5 years
35.5%
Injuries and illnesses
Employment
(Total =1,259,320 injuries and illnesses)
(Current Population Survey,
Private Wage and Salary Workers
January 2005)
Workers who were with their employers for more than 5 years became injured or ill less often in 2004
than their employment share suggests.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
13
Injury and illness topology
Nature of
disabling
condition
Part of body
affected
Nurse
sprains
her
back
while
lifting
her
patient
Source
directly
producing
disability
Event
or
exposure
Each injury or illness is
described from four viewpoints.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
14
Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with days away from
work by the nature of the disabling condition, 2004
Amputations 0.6%
Chemical burns 0.6%
Carpal tunnel
syndrome 1.5%
Tendonitis
0.6%
Multiple injuries 4.0%
Soreness, Pain 5.3%
Heat burns 1.5%
Back pain 3.0%
Bruises, contusions 9.1%
All other
15.6%
Cuts, lacerations, punctures
9.1%
Fractures
7.5%
Sprains, strains
41.7%
Nature of injury or illness
(1,259,320 injuries and illnesses with days away from work)
Sprains and strains accounted for 525,390 cases or 42 percent
of all nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with days away from work in 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
15
Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with days away from
work by the part of body affected, 2004
Percent
25.0%
23.1%
22.4%
21.4%
20.0%
15.0%
13.1%
10.0%
5.0%
10.0%
3.6%
2.9%
1.7%
1.1%
0.7%
0.0%
Upper
Back
Lower
Trunk, Multiple Head,
extremities
extremities except
parts
except
back
eye
Eye
Neck
Body
systems
All other
The upper extremities and back were involved in almost one-half of all occupational injuries and illnesses.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
16
Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with days away from
work by source of injury or illness, 2004
Chemicals, chemical products,
1.4%
Containers, 12.8%
All other, 14.4%
Furniture, fixtures, 3.6%
Health care patient, 4.5%
Machinery, 6.5%
Vehicles, 8.8%
Parts and materials, 10.1%
Handtools, 4.6%
Floor, ground surfaces, 18.6%
Worker motion or position, 14.5%
Source of Injury or Illness
(1,259,320 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)
Four sources accounted for over half of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses that resulted in
days away from work in 2004: floor, ground surfaces 18.6 percent; worker motion or position 14.5 percent;
containers 12.8 percent; and parts and materials 10.1percent.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
17
Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with days away from
work by event or exposure, 2004
45.0%
40.6%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
26.6%
25.0%
20.3%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
5.0%
4.2%
2.0%
1.1%
0.0%
Bodily
reaction
and
exertion
Contact with
objects and
equipment
Falls
Transportation
accidents
Exposure
to harmful
substances
Assaults
and
violent
acts
Other
0.2%
Fires
and
explosions
Bodily reaction and exertion, contact with objects and equipment, and falls accounted for almost 90 percent
of nonfatal injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work in 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
18
Median days away from work due to nonfatal occupational
injuries or illnesses by nature, 2004
Carpal tunnel syndrome
28
Fractures
28
Amputations
25
Tendonitis
13
Multiple injuries
9
Sprains, strains
8
Heat burns
5
Cuts, lacerations
4
Bruises, contusions
4
Chemical burns
All natures
7 days
3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Median days away from work
Carpal tunnel syndrome and fractures each had a median of 28 days away from work,
followed by amputations with 25 days in 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
19
Median days away from work due to nonfatal occupational
injuries or illnesses by part of body, 2004
Shoulder
17
Knee
15
Wrist
14
Multiple parts
10
Lower extremities
9
Trunk
9
Upper extremities
7
Back
7
Toe
6
Foot, except toe
6
Neck
6
Body systems
5
Finger
5
Hand, except finger
5
Eye
2
Head
2
0
2
4
6
All parts of body
7 days
8
10
12
Median days away from work
14
16
18
Injuries and illnesses to the shoulder (17 days), to the knee (15 days), and to the wrist (14 days)
took the longest median time from which to recover in 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
20
Median days away from work due to nonfatal occupational
injuries or illnesses by event or exposure, 2004
Repetitive motion
20
Fall to lower level
14
Transportation accidents
10
Overexertion
9
Fall to same level
9
Overexertion in lifting
8
Caught in equipment or object
8
Fires and explosions
7
Slips, trips, loss of balance--without fall
7
Assaults and violent acts by person
6
Struck against object
5
Struck by object
5
Exposure to harmful substances
All events
7 days
3
0
5
10
15
Median days away from work
20
25
Repetitive motion, with a median of 20 days, resulted in the longest absences from work among the leading
events and exposures. Falls to a lower level with 14 days and transportation accidents with 10 days had the next
longest median days away from work.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
21
Median days away from work due to nonfatal occupational
injuries or illnesses by source, 2004
Vehicles
10
Floors, walkways, ground surfaces
10
Worker motion or position
10
Machinery
8
Containers
8
Parts and materials
7
Health care patient
6
Furniture and fixtures
6
Tools, instruments, and equipment
All sources
7 days
5
Chemicals and chemical products
3
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Median days away from work
Of the source of the injury or illness, vehicles; floors, walkways, ground surfaces; and worker motion or position
had the highest median days away from work with 10 days each.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
22
Comparison of total nonfatal injury and illness cases with days
away from work to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) cases
involving days away from work, 2002-2004
1,600,000
1,436,194
1,400,000
1,315,920
1,259,320
1,200,000
Total
1,000,000
MSDs
800,000
600,000
487,915
435,180
400,000
200,000
34.0%
of total
DAFW
cases
2002
33.1 %
of total
DAFW
cases
2003
402,700
32.0 %
of total
DAFW
cases
2004
The percentage of total cases involving lost worktime that result from musculoskeletal disorders
decreased slightly from 2002 to 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
23
Musculoskeletal disorders with days away from work
by nature of injury or illness, 2004
Back pain, hurt back, 5.9%
Soreness, pain, hurt, except the
back, 5.6%
Carpal tunnel syndrome, 4.6%
Hernia, 4.7%
MSD system and connective tissue
diseases and disorders, except
tendonitis, 1.7%
Tendonitis, 1.5%
Sprains, strains, tears, 76.0%
Nature of Injury or Illness
(402,700 MSD cases resulted in days away from work)
Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for over three-fourths of the musculoskeletal disorders that resulted
in days away from work in 2004.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
24