2010 Nonfatal Occupational Injuries
and Illnesses: Private Industry, State
Government, and Local Government
Case and Demographics
November 9, 2011
Rate of injuries and illnesses with days away
from work, by ownership, 2010
118
All Ownerships
108
Private Industry
175
State Government
181
Local Government
0
25
50
75
100
125
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
150
175
200
Number of injuries and illnesses with days away
from work, by ownership, 2010
1,191,100
All Ownerships
933,200
Private Industry
69,490
State Government
188,420
Local Government
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
1,400,000
Number of cases
Local and state government both had much higher rates than in private industry. Local government had a rate of 181 injuries and
illnesses per 10,000 full-time workers and state government had a rate of 175. Private industry had a rate of 108.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 1
Number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work,
private industry, 2003-2010
1,400,000
1,200,000
407,610
1,000,000
Goods-producing
408,400
394,090
Service-providing
380,440
349,450
311,890
241,310
800,000
223,020
600,000
400,000
908,310
850,930
840,580
803,060
809,420
766,250
723,680
710,170
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
200,000
Total cases with days
away from work
2003: 1,315,920
2004: 1,259,320
2005: 1,234,680
2006: 1,183,500
2007: 1,158,870
2008: 1,078,140
2009: 964,990
2010: 933,200
0
2003
2004
2005
In 2010, the number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work in private industry declined 3.3 percent.
Injuries and illnesses for goods-producing industries declined by 7.6 percent, while the number in service-providing
industries was statistically unchanged.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 2
Percent change in incidence rate of injuries and illnesses
by selected events and exposures, private industry, 2009-2010
Increase in rate
Decrease in rate
Slips or trips
Transportation accident
Struck by object
Highway accident
All Private industry
No change
Total overexertion
Fall on same level
Exposure to harmful
substances or environment
Total assaults
Struck against object
Assaults by person
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0
Percent change
-5.0
-10.0
-15.0
In 2010, the rate of injuries and illnesses overall did not change significantly from 2009. Slips and trips declined by 5.6 percent,
while transportation accidents declined by 4.3 percent. Assaults by persons increased by 17.6 percent, and total assaults increased
by 8 percent. Struck against object increased by 9.9 percent.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 3
Number of injuries and illnesses and incidence rate by occupation,
all ownerships, 2010
Laborers and freight, stock, and
material movers
Nursing aides, orderlies, and
attendants
Janitors and cleaners, except
maids and housekeepers
Heavy and tractor-trailer
truck drivers
65,040
53,030
46,370
43,940
Number of cases
(Total=1,191,100)
60,000
489
317
319
29,150
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
28,200
Light or delivery truck drivers
27,080
Registered nurses
26,620
Days-away-fromwork rate
(All ownership
rate = 118)
80,000
430
384
134
Retail salespersons
92
22,020
Maintenance and repair
workers, general
20,940
Maids and housekeeping cleaners
40,000
504
20,000
0
Number of cases
213
0
341
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Ten occupations had 20,000 or more cases in private industry, state government, and local government. Laborers and freight, stock,
and material movers had the highest number of cases. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers and nursing aides, orderlies, and
attendants had the highest rates of injuries and illnesses.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 4
Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses for occupations
with high incidence rates, all ownerships, 2010
Transit and intercity
bus drivers
Police and sheriff's
patrol officers
Nursing aides, orderlies,
and attendants
Refuse and recyclable material
collectors
Laborers and freight, stock,
and material movers
Emergency medical technicians
and paramedics
615
504
489
485
430
416
800 700
600
404
Nonrestaurant food servers
401
Fire fighters
500
384
Light or delivery truck drivers
384
Highway maintenance workers
384
Correctional officers and jailer
400
300
200
100
0
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
7,730
29,150
53,030
5,030
65,040
Number of cases
(Total=1,191,100)
8,360
Days-away-fromwork rate
(All ownership
rate = 118)
4,990
12,610
28,200
4,730
15,570
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
Number of cases
Eleven occupations had both large numbers of employees and a rate of injury or illness of 350 per 10,000 workers or higher. Transit
and intercity bus drivers had the highest rate, followed by police and sheriff’s patrol officers, nursing aides, orderlies, and
attendants, and refuse and recyclable material collectors.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 5
Occupations with large numbers of injuries
and illnesses, private industry, 2007-2010
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
2007
2008
2009
2010
20,000
0
Eight occupations had 18,000 or more cases in private industry in 2010. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers had the
largest number of cases, as they have for several years. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers and nursing aides, orderlies, and
attendants followed with very high numbers of cases.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 6
Rates of injuries and illnesses for selected healthcare
and protective service occupations, by ownership, 2010
Registered nurses
Emergency medical technicians
and paramedics
Psychiatric technicians
Licensed practical and licensed
clinical nurses
Private Industry
Local Government
State Government
Nursing aides, orderlies, and
attendants
Psychiatric aides
Fire fighters
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
These occupations are frequently employed in both the private and public sectors. Psychiatric aides had very high rates of injuries
and illnesses in state government, and high rates in private sector. The source for most of these cases was health care patients.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 7
Rates of injuries and illnesses for selected education
and transportation occupations, by ownership, 2010
Preschool and kindergarten
teachers
Private industry
Local government
State government
Elementary and middle school
teachers
Secondary school teachers
Special education teachers
Teacher assistants
Transit and intercity bus drivers
School bus drivers
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck
drivers
Light or delivery truck drivers
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Teacher assistants in local government had a relatively high rate of cases, 183 per 10,000 full-time employees, compared with a
rate of 110 for private industry. Special education teachers in the private sector had a high rate compared to local government,
89 compared with 30. Local government has higher rates for all of the transportation occupations shown, except light or
delivery truck drivers, where the difference is not statistically significant.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 8
Distribution of injuries and illnesses with days away from work
and employment by gender, 2010
Private Industry
Injuries and Illnesses
Female
39%
Incidence Rate
(per 10,000 full-time employees)
Female
40%
Female
46%
Male
54%
Male
61%
Local Government
Injuries and Illnesses
State Government
Injuries and Illnesses
Male
60%
Incidence Rate
(per 10,000 full-time employees)
Incidence Rate
(per 10,000 full-time employees)
246
220
200
114
100
200
142
200
130
100
100
100
0
0
0
Injury and illness cases in state government were split relatively evenly between men and women, but men had a much higher rate.
In local government, men had 60 percent of cases, and had a rate that was nearly double that of women.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 9
Number of injuries and illnesses and percentage of cases involving
Hispanic or Latino workers by industry, private industry, 2010
Trade, transportation, and
utilities
27,770
Manufacturing
21,230
28.7
Education and health
services
15,200
13,380
Construction
13,040
Professional and business
services
12.0
22.0
26.3
Natural resources
7,970
57.5
Financial activities
3,880
22.5
Other services
3,230
830
20,000
21.3
Leisure and hospitality
16,440
30,000
17.8
10,000
15.1
Information
0
Cases involving Hispanic or Latino workers
12.8
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
Percent of total cases
In 2010, there were 122,970 injuries and illnesses among Hispanic or Latino workers, statistically unchanged from 2009. Hispanic or
Latino workers made up 20.2 percent of injuries and illnesses where race or ethnicity was reported. They suffered 57.5 percent of
injuries and illnesses in natural resources, 28.7 percent in leisure and hospitality, and 26.3 percent in professional and business
services. Race and ethnicity was not reported in one-third of private industry cases.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 10
Median days away from work due to injuries and illnesses
and incidence rate by age of worker, all ownerships, 2010
16
65 years and older
12
55 to 64 years
10
130
35 to 44 years
6
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 118)
15
120
45 to 54 years
8
20
104
10
118
25 to 34 years
5
106
20 to 24 years
4
5
114
117
16 to 19 years
0
Median days away from work
0
50
100
150
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Median days away from work is a key measure of severity of injuries and illnesses. Injuries and illnesses become more severe as
age increases, requiring 4 days away from work for workers aged 16 to 19 years old to 16 days for those workers 65 years old and
older. The rate of injuries and illnesses increased for workers 16 to 19 years old, and for those 45 to 64 years old.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 11
Injury and illness topology
Nature of
disabling
condition
Event or
exposure
A nursing aide
sprains her back
from
overexertion
while lifting a
patient.
Part of
body
affected
Source
directly
producing
disability
Each injury or illness is described from four viewpoints.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 12
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by nature, all ownerships, 2010
All other nature, 17.3%
Chemical burns, 0.4%
Tendonitis, 0.4%
Amputations, 0.5%
Carpal tunnel syndrome, 0.8%
Heat burns, 1.4%
Sprain, strains
39.8%
Back pain, hurt back only, 3.4%
Total multiple trauma, 4.8%
Fractures
7.2%
Cuts, lacerations, punctures
7.7%
Soreness, pain, except back
7.8%
Bruises
8.4%
Sprains and strains and bruises made up nearly half of all injuries and illnesses. Sprains and strains accounted for 474,000 injuries
and illnesses in 2010. Tendonitis and total multiple trauma both had significant increases in the number of cases, although from a
lower base.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 13
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to
injuries and illnesses by nature, all ownerships, 2010
28
27
Carpal tunnel syndrome
1
Amputations
1
Tendonitis
1
21
14
10
8
Soreness, pain, except back
8
Back pain, hurt back only
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 118)
20
15
10
9
4
20
All other nature
5
25
6
Total multiple trauma
6
30
47
Sprain, strains
9
35
9
Fractures
2
Heat burns
4
Cuts, lacerations, punctures
4
Bruises
3
5
9
10
1
Chemical burns
0
Median days away from work
0
20
40
60
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
In 2010, fractures were the most severe nature of injuries and illnesses, having a median of 28 days away from work to recover,
followed by carpal tunnel syndrome with 27 days and amputations with 21 days. Sprains and strains had a relatively high rate, but a
median days away of 10 days.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 14
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by part of body,
all ownerships, 2010
All other part, 0.7%
Neck, 1.4%
Body systems, 1.9%
Head, 6.4%
Back
19.1%
Multiple body parts
12.7%
Trunk, except back
13.3%
Total lower body
23.0%
Total upper body
21.3%
Injuries and illnesses to the back declined by 6 percent in 2010 to 227,730, continuing the decline in their share of injuries and
illnesses from 2009. Injuries and illnesses to upper body dropped 4.7 percent to 253,450. Injuries and illnesses to the lower body
decreased by 2.7 percent to 274,210.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 15
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries and
illnesses by part of body, all ownerships, 2010
21
Shoulder
15
Knee
14
10
Total trunk
10
Total lower
10
Multiple
10
Arm
8
Neck
8
Ankle
Total upper
7
Foot, toe
15
10
Median days away from work
5
38
27
15
5
2
6
Back
7
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 118)
20
11
Wrist
7
25
9
5
Finger
5
Hand
2
25
5
9
5
Total head
2
5
23
8
Eyes
0
3
0
5
10
15
20 25
30
35
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
40
45
Injuries to the shoulder took the most time away from work, requiring a median of 21 days away from work. Knee injuries took a
median of 15 days, and wrist injuries took 14 days away from work to recuperate.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 16
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by source, all ownerships, 2010
All other
17.1%
Floors
21.6%
Chemicals
1.4%
Furniture
4.1%
Hand tools
4.1%
Machinery
4.9%
Worker motion
13.9%
Health care patient
6.1%
Parts and materials
7.4%
Vehicles
Containers
10.8%
8.6%
Four sources accounted for more than half of all nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away
from work: floors, walkways, and ground surfaces with 21.6 percent; worker motion or position with 13.9 percent;
containers with 10.8 percent; and vehicles with 8.6 percent. Cases where the source of the injury or illness was a
health care patient increased by 5 percent, to 72,750.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 17
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to
injuries and illnesses by source, all ownerships, 2010
12
Worker motion
10
Containers
10
Floors
9
13
26
Vehicles
8
10
Parts and materials
7
Machinery
7
Health care patient
6
5
10
5
Median days away from work
9
6
7
Furniture
5
Hand tools
5
Chemicals
3
15
16
0
2
0
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 118)
5
10
15
20
25
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
30
Injuries and illnesses from worker motion had a median of 12 days away from work, followed by injuries from containers and from
floors, which each had a median of 10 days away from work to recover. Injuries and illnesses as a result of contact with floors had a
very high rate.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 18
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by event or exposure,
all ownerships, 2010
Contact with objects and
equipment, 23.9%
Bodily reaction and exertion
38.9%
Other events, 1.1%
Falls
22.7%
Fires and explosions, 0.3%
Assaults and violent acts, 4.1%
Exposure to harmful substances
or materials, 4.4%
Transportation accidents
4.7%
Eighty-five percent of all injuries and illnesses were from three events: Bodily reaction and exertion, contact with objects and
equipment, and falls.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 19
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by event or exposure, all ownerships, 2010
24
Repetitive motion
22
Fires and explosions
13
Transportation accident
10
Caught in object
8
Fall on same level
8
Slips or trips
4
Assaults by person
4
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 118
10
6
8
7
15
7
Overexertion in lifting
11
20
0
Fall to lower level
14
25
4
5
Struck by object
5
Struck against object
Median days away from work
18
14
8
Harmful exposure
4
5
5
0
5
0
5
10
15
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
20
In 2010, injuries and illnesses from repetitive motion had a median of 24 days away from work to recover, but had a fairly low rate
of 4 per 10,000 full-time workers. Falls on the same level had a median of 8 days, the same as all injuries and illnesses, and had a
higher rate of 18 per 10,000 full-time workers.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 20
Number of musculoskeletal disorders, private
industry, 2004-2010
450,000
400,000
402,700 cases
375,540 cases
357,160 cases
350,000
335,390 cases
317,440 cases
300,000
283,800 cases
284,340 cases
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
32.0%
of total
cases
30.4%
of total
cases
30.2%
of total
cases
28.9%
of total
cases
29.4%
of total
cases
29.4%
of total
cases
30.5%
of total
cases
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
50,000
0
In 2010, the number of cases of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) was statistically unchanged from 2009. The rate in 2010 was
32.8, an increase of 4.8 percent from 2009.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 21
Number of musculoskeletal
disorders, by ownership, 2008-10
(Number of cases)
300,000
60
2008
2009
2010
(per 10,000 full-time workers)
350,000
Rate of musculoskeletal
disorders, by ownership, 2008-10
250,000
200,000
150,000
2008
2009
2010
50
40
30
20
100,000
10
50,000
0
0
State government
Private industry
Local government
State government
Private industry
Local government
In 2010, the number of musculoskeletal disorders was statistically unchanged for private industry and local government.
The number of MSD cases decreased by 9.7 percent in State government. The rate increased by 4.8 percent for private
industry, but was statistically unchanged for State government and local government.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 22
Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses due to
musculoskeletal disorders by selected occupations,
all ownerships, 2010
Nursing aides, orderlies, and
attendants
249
Emergency medical technicians
and paramedics
4,780
155
Fire fighters
4,890
155
Laborers and freight, stock,
and material movers
238
131
Transit and intercity bus drivers
125
Number of MSDs
(Total=346,400)
Days-Away-fromWork rate
(Total rate = 34)
23,420
1,640
9,150
Light or delivery truck drivers
118
300
27,020
113
110
100
Highway maintenance workers
1,450
Telecommunications line
installers and repairers
1,580
Maids and housekeeping
cleaners
Janitors and cleaners,
Except maids
200
100
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
6,750
14,680
10,000
20,000
Number of cases
30,000
These ten occupations had at least 1/10 of 1 percent of total employment, and had incidence rates of musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs) of 100 per 10,000 full-time workers or higher. Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants and emergency medical technicians
and paramedics had the highest rates of MSDs in 2010.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, November 2011
Chart 23