2013 Nonfatal Occupational
Injuries and Illnesses: Cases
with days away from work
Case and Demographics
January 2015
Rate of injuries and illnesses with days away from work,
by ownership, 2013
109
All Ownerships
100
Private Industry
160
State Government
174
Local Government
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work,
by ownership, 2013
1,162,210
All Ownerships
917,090
Private Industry
64,990
State Government
180,130
Local Government
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
Number of cases
The 2013 incidence rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses for all ownerships decreased by 2.1 percent from 2012. All other top line rates and
numbers of injuries and illnesses by ownership remained statistically unchanged from 2012.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 1
Number of injuries and illnesses with days away from
work, private industry, 2009-2013
1,000,000
800,000
241,310
223,020
226,930
225,830
229,530
Service-providing
Goods-producing
600,000
400,000
Total cases with days
away from work
723,680
710,170
691,210
692,890
687,560
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
200,000
2009:
2010:
2011:
2012:
2013:
964,990
933,200
918,140
918,720
917,090
0
The total number of private industry injury and illnesses (917,090 cases) has remained statistically unchanged since 2010. Similarly, the number
of injuries and illnesses for both goods-producing and service-providing sectors remained statistically unchanged for the last four years.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 2
Number and incidence rate of injuries and illnesses for occupations
with 20,000 cases or more, all ownerships, 2013
Laborers and freight, stock, and
material movers
53,740
49,000
328
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Nursing assistants
41,450
39,040
Number of cases
(Total = 1,162,210)
Days away from
work rate = 109
70,000
304
393
Janitors and cleaners, except maids
259
28,460
General maintenance and repair
workers
262
28,170
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
27,020
Registered nurses
26,830
Retail salespersons
23,980
132
85
328
Light truck or delivery service drivers
22,710
35,000
491
176
Stock clerks and order fillers
0
Number of cases
0
175
350
525
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Ten occupations had 20,000 or more cases across all ownerships. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers had the highest number of
cases despite a 15 percent decrease from 2012. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers had the highest rate of injury and illness despite a 12 percent
decrease from 2012.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 3
Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses for occupations
with high incidence rates, all ownerships, 2013
677
491
393
Nursing assistants
387
Telecommunications line installers
4,330
Highway maintenance workers
4,450
328
328
321
302
360
7,320
49,000
23,980
17,010
Laborers and freight, stock, and
material movers
304
540
41,450
Heating, a/c and refrigeration
mechanics and installers
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck
drivers
Light truck or delivery services
drivers
Food preparation workers
330
720
15,970
Correctional officers and jailers
374
Days away from
work rate = 109
14,540
Firefighters
421
Number of cases
(Total = 1,162,210)
28,170
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
457
900
7,440
Transit and intercity bus drivers
53,740
20,710
Construction laborers
180
0
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
Number of cases
These occupations are among the ones that had at least 0.1 percent of full-time equivalent employment throughout the United States in 2013.
Transit and intercity bus drivers had the highest incidence rate of 677 cases per 10,000 full-time employees—nearly a 20 percent decrease from
an incidence rate of 841 the prior year. Nursing assistants had an incidence rate at least three times greater than the rate for all workers.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 4
Rates of injuries and illnesses for selected healthcare and protective
service occupations, by ownership, 2013
Registered nurses
Private industry
Local government
State government
Emergency medical technicians
and paramedics
Psychiatric technicians
Licensed practical and licensed
vocational nurses
Psychiatric aides
Nursing assistants
Firefighters
Police and sheriff's patrol
officers
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
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 among state government
and private industry workers. The predominant source of injury or illness for these cases was health care patients.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 5
Distribution and rates of injuries and illnesses with days
away from work, by gender where reported, 2013
State Government
Injuries and Illnesses
Private Industry
Injuries and Illnesses
Women
38%
300
200
100
Women
47%
Men
53%
Men
62%
300
107
200
91
131
100
Incidence Rate
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Women
40%
Men
60%
300
199
200
236
125
100
0
0
Local Government
Injuries and Illnesses
Incidence Rate
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
0
Incidence Rate
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
The proportion of injuries and illnesses among male and female workers (where reported) was similar in the three ownership
categories—with male workers having more cases than female workers. Men employed by local governments had higher rates of
injury or illness than men in other ownerships.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 6
Number of injuries and illnesses and percentage of cases involving
Hispanic or Latino workers by industry, private industry, 2013
Trade, transportation, and
utilities
26,470
Manufacturing
19,130
29.0
Construction
15,470
13,760
Professional and business
services
13,680
Education and health services
24.5
28.7
11.6
Natural resources and mining
11,060
23.2
Other services
3,390
19.6
Information
370
10,000
57.8
Financial activities
4,210
20,000
21.4
Leisure and hospitality
16,780
30,000
18.4
0
Number of cases
6.3
0.0
25.0
50.0
75.0
Hispanic or Latino workers percentage of total
cases (where race or ethnicity reported)
There were 124,330 injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers in 2013, statistically unchanged from 2012. Hispanic or Latino
workers comprised 21 percent of cases where race or ethnicity was reported. Over half of the injuries and illnesses in the natural
resources and mining sector were to Hispanic or Latino workers.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 7
Median days away from work and incidence rate of injuries
and illnesses by age of worker, all ownerships, 2013
14
65 years and over
13
115
55 to 64 years
11
120
45 to 54 years
35 to 44 years
9
6
5
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownership rate = 109)
15
97
10
4
5
108
25 to 34 years
101
20 to 24 years
102
111
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. The median increased as the age of the
worker increased. Workers 65 and older required the most median days away from work to recuperate among all age groups. However, this age
group had an incidence rate of 97 cases per 10,000 full-time workers—among the lowest of all age groups.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 8
Injury and illness topology
Nature of
Nature
of
disabling
disabling
condition
condition
Event or
exposure
A nursing aide
sprains her back
from
overexertion
while lifting a
patient.
Part of body
affected
Source of
injury or
illness
Each injury or illness is described from four viewpoints. In survey year 2012, the Occupational Injury
and Illness Classification System (OIICS) version 2.01 was utilized to code narrative information.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 9
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by nature,
all ownerships, 2013
All other natures,
15.4%
Tendonitis, 0.2%
Chemical burns, 0.3%
Amputations, 0.6%
Carpal tunnel syndrome, 0.7%
Heat burns, 1.4%
Sprains, strains, tears,
36.7%
Multiple traumatic injuries,
2.8%
Fractures,
7.9%
Bruises, contusions,
8.2%
Cuts, lacerations, punctures,
8.5%
Soreness, pain,
17.4%
Sprains, strains, tears, made up over one-third of all injuries and illnesses in 2013.
They accounted for 426,950 cases in 2013—down 4 percent from 2012.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 10
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by nature, all ownerships, 2013
32
Fractures
30
28
27
14
Amputations
1
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownership rate = 109)
15
Less than 1
3
40
Chemical burns and corrosions
4
Bruises, contusions
4
Heat burns
4
Cuts, lacerations
4
Cuts, lacerations, punctures
3
10
1
Soreness, pain
5
20
1
Multiple injuries with sprains
8
25
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Sprains, strains, tears
9
30
1
Multiple traumatic injuries
10
35
Multiple injuries with fractures
Tendonitis
11
9
5
19
Less than 1
9
2
7
9
Punctures (except gunshots)
0
Median days away from work
2
0
9
18
27
36
45
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
In 2013, fractures were the most severe nature of injuries and illnesses resulting in a median of 32 days away from work to recuperate. Among
these fracture cases, nearly 40 percent of the injuries and illnesses occurred to hands and feet. Workers incurred sprains, strains, tears at rate of
40 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, and required a median of 10 days away from work.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 11
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by part of body,
all ownerships, 2013
All other parts, 1.1%
Neck, 1.5%
Body systems, 2.2%
Trunk, except back, 5.9%
Head,
7.5%
Upper extremities,
29.7%
Multiple body parts,
11.1%
Back,
18.2%
Lower extremities,
22.6%
Upper extremities were the most frequently injured part of body with 345,560 cases. There
were 263,220 injuries to lower extremities and 212,080 injuries to the back.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 12
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by part of body, all ownerships, 2013
24
Shoulder(s)
Knee(s)
Wrist
Lower extremities
16
14
12
11
10
9
9
9
8
7
7
6
5
5
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownership rate = 109)
27
18
3
2
9
8
10
4
25
Arm(s)
Upper extremities
Ankle
Foot
Toe, toenail
Trunk
Neck
Back
Hand(s)
Hand(s), except finger(s)
Finger(s), fingernail(s)
Head
Eye(s)
0
Median days away from work
0
5
33
6
5
1
26
2
20
13
1
9
8
2
9
18
27
36
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Injuries to the shoulder required the most time away from work to recuperate with a median of 24 days.
Knee injuries required a median of 16 days to recuperate.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 13
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by source,
all ownerships, 2013
All other sources, 4.8%
Chemicals and chemical products,
1.2%
Machinery, 4.8%
Parts and materials,
7.4%
Persons, plants, animals, and
minerals, 29.3%
Tools, instruments, and
equipment, 8.4%
Vehicles,
9.5%
Structures and surfaces,
Containers, furniture, and
fixtures, 15.0%
19.6%
Persons, plants, animals, and minerals were the source of injury or illness for 340,690 cases in 2013. More than half of these (177,370) involved
bodily motion or position of the injured or ill worker while another 19 percent (65,060) involved health care patients.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 14
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by source, all ownerships, 2013
24
13
Trucks
Person, injured or ill
worker
13
Worker motion or position
18
10
Containers
10
Machinery
10
7
Parts and materials
Person, other than injured
or ill worker
Furniture, fixtures
7
Patient
8
18
10
12
5
18
1
11
5
6
5
Chemicals, chemical
products
3
6
8
Handtools
5
12
17
Cart, dolly, hand truck
8
24
18
Floors, walkways, ground
surface
10
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownership rate = 109)
3
Vehicles
11
30
2
Ladder
0
Median days away from work
1
0
4
8
12
16
20
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Workers who sustained injuries and illnesses involving ladders required three times the
recuperation time than for all workers at 24 median days away from work.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 15
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by event or exposure,
all ownerships, 2013
All other events, 0.9%
Fires and explosions, 0.2%
Exposure to harmful substances
or environments, 4.3%
Transportation incidents, 5.1 %
Violence and other injuries by
persons or animals, 6.5%
Overexertion and bodily
reaction, 34.4%
Contact with object, equipment,
23.1%
Falls, slips, trips,
25.5%
Overexertion and bodily reaction, and falls, slips, and trips accounted for approximately 60 percent of all injuries and illnesses with days away
from work. The number cases resulting from falls, slips, trips increased by 2.3 percent from 2012.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 16
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by event or exposure, all ownerships, 2013
Repetitive motion involving
microtasks
Fall to lower level
21
20
11
Transportation incidents
11
Slips, trips without fall
11
Falls, slips, trips
11
Overexertion and bodily reaction
10
8
Fires and explosions
15
5
Struck by object or equipment
5
Struck against object or equipment
5
Contact with object, equipment
4
10
4
28
38
17
4
12
Less than 1
Intentional injury by other person
7
20
6
Caught in or compressed by
objects or equipment
Overexertion in lifting or lowering
10
25
5
Fall on same level
10
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 8)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownership rate = 109)
3
5
3
14
6
25
5
Exposure to harmful substances or
environments
0
Median days away from work
0
7
14
21
28
35
42
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Cases of repetitive motion involving microtasks had a high median of 21 days away from work but a relatively low rate of 3 cases per
10,000 full-time workers. Overexertion and bodily reaction had the highest rate and a median days away from work of 11 days, three more
than the median for all events or exposures.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 17
Falls on same level by distribution of source and
secondary source, all ownerships, 2013
Source
All other sources,
5.9%
Secondary
Source
Containers,
1.6%
Ice, sleet, snow,
13.4%
Parts and materials,
1.4%
Liquids-nonchemical,
Vehicles,
1.6%
10.2%
Furniture, fixtures,
4.1%
Containers, furniture,
and fixtures, 7.3%
Tools, instruments,
and equipment, 1.5%
Vehicles, 1.0%
Machinery, 0.6%
Floors, walkways,
ground surfaces, 85.4%
Secondary source
not reported, 52.5%
All other secondary
sources, 13.5%
In 2013, the predominant source of non-fatal injuries and illnesses was floors, walkways, ground surfaces. Ice, sleet, snow and non-chemical
liquids were the contributing secondary source to falls on the same level in nearly one-quarter of the cases. All other secondary sources include
cases where no secondary source was specified. More information on source and secondary source criteria can be found in the OIICS manual.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 18
Rate of musculoskeletal disorders with days away from work,
by ownership, 2013
Private industry
34
State government
45
Local government
53
0
13
26
39
52
65
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Number of musculoskeletal disorders with days away from work,
by ownership, 2013
307,640
Private industry
State government
18,410
Local government
54,560
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
Number of cases
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) accounted for 33 percent of all cases in 2013. The incidence rate for MSDs in
2013 decreased from 2012 in private industry. Local government and state government workers had higher incidence rates of
MSDs than private industry workers.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 19
Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses due to
musculoskeletal disorders by selected occupations, all ownerships, 2013
Firefighters
232
Nursing assistants
208
179
162
Transit and intercity bus drivers
1,780
9,580
21,080
7,510
Heating, a/c and refrigeration
mechanics and installers
106
105
2,350
15,730
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck
drivers
Plumbers, pipefitters, and
steamfitters
103
160
2,000
Maids and housekeeping cleaners
112
240
Telecommunications line
installers
Laborers and freight, stock, and
material movers
119
Number of MSD cases
(Total=380,600)
MSD rate
(All ownership rate = 36)
22,000
Light truck or delivery services
drivers
131
320
7,380
80
0
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
3,280
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
Number of cases
These twelve occupations had at least 0.1 percent of total employment. Firefighters had the highest rate of MSDs
among these occupations with 232 cases per 10,000 full-time workers. Nursing assistants and laborers and freight, stock,
and material movers had the highest number of MSD cases in 2013.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, January 2015
Chart 20