2014 Nonfatal Occupational
Injuries and Illnesses: Cases
with days away from work
Case and Demographics
November 2015
Rate of injuries and illnesses with days away from work,
by ownership, 2014
All Ownerships
107
Private Industry
98
State Government
170
Local Government
166
0
40
80
120
160
200
(Per 10,000 full-time workers)
Number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work,
by ownership, 2014
1,157,410
All Ownerships
916,440
Private Industry
67,400
State Government
173,570
Local Government
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
1,200,000
(Number of cases)
The incidence rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses for all ownerships decreased 2.1 percent from 2013 to 2014. All other top line rates
and numbers of injuries and illnesses by ownership remained unchanged from 2013.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 1
Number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work,
private industry, 2010 - 2014
1,000,000
800,000
223,020
226,930
225,830
229,530
225,180
Goods-producing
Service-providing
600,000
Total cases with days
away from work
400,000
710,170
691,210
692,890
687,560
691,260
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
200,000
2010:
2011:
2012:
2013:
2014:
933,200
918,140
918,720
917,090
916,440
0
The total number of private industry injury and illnesses (916,440 cases) was essentially unchanged from 2013.
Similarly, the number of injuries and illnesses for both goods-producing and service-providing sectors were essentially
unchanged from 2013.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 2
Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses for selected occupations
with 20,000 cases or more, all ownerships, 2014
55,710
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck
drivers
55,370
Laborers and freight, stock, and
material movers
39,290
366
N/A
258
Janitors and cleaners, except
maids
Nursing assistants
39,020
27,660
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
27,460
General maintenance and repair
workers
26,830
Registered nurses
25,250
373
486
251
130
189
Stock clerks and order fillers
23,500
Retail salespersons
74
Number of cases
(Total=1,157,410)
22,420
Light truck or delivery services
drivers
300
Days away from
work rate = 107
22,190
Construction laborers
310
70,000
35,000
Number of cases
0
0
175
350
525
700
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Eleven occupations had 20,000 or more cases across all ownerships. Heavy & tractor-trailer truck drivers along with laborers and freight,
stock, & material movers combined accounted for 10 percent of total cases. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers had the highest rate of
injury and illness among these occupations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 3
Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses for selected occupations
with high incidence rates, all ownerships, 2014
486
27,660
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
448
Firefighters
433
14,440
5,110
Highway maintenance workers
423
16,050
Correctional officers and jailers
373
Nursing assistants
39,020
Heavy & tractor-trailer truck
drivers
Emergency medical technicians
and paramedics
366
333
310
55,710
7,010
Construction laborers
22,190
22,420
274
Number of cases
(Total=1,157,410)
Light truck or delivery services
drivers
Heating, a/c & refrigeration
mechanics & installers
Nonfarm animal caretakers
272
Maids and housekeeping cleaners
Days away from
work rate = 107
270
Telecommunications installers &
repairers, except line installers
300
285
600
400
200
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
0
6,590
3,090
18,390
5,110
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
2014. Among them, police and sheriff’s patrol officers had the highest rate at 486 cases per 10,000 full-time employees. Nursing
assistants had an incidence rate at least three times greater than the rate for all workers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 4
Rates of injuries and illnesses for selected healthcare and protective
service occupations by ownership, 2014
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
(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 these selected state government and private industry workers.
The predominant source of injury or illness for psychiatric aides was health care patients.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 5
Distribution and incidence rates of injuries and illnesses with days away
from work by gender and ownership, 2014
Private Industry
Injuries and Illnesses
Female
38%
Male
62%
104
100
Male
56%
300
200
89
0
Incidence Rate
Local Government
Injuries and Illnesses
State Government
Injuries and Illnesses
200
Female
44%
224
Male
60%
300
131
200
100
100
0
0
Incidence Rate
Female
40%
225
120
Incidence Rate
Male workers had a higher number of injuries and illnesses than female workers (where gender reported) in each of the
three ownership categories. Male workers employed by state or local government had higher rates of injury or illness
than male workers in the private sector.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 6
Number of injuries and illnesses and percentage of cases involving
Hispanic or Latino workers by industry, private industry, 2014
Trade, transportation, and utilities
25,230
21,310
Manufacturing
16,110
Leisure and hospitality
15,800
Construction
14,250
28.4
26.6
12.5
25.7
Professional business services
9,960
Natural resources and mining
4,610
60.3
Financial activities
3,190
26.5
Other services
550
20,000
22.7
Education and health services
13,260
30,000
17.3
10,000
Cases involving Hispanic or Latino workers
17.1
Information
0
13.0
0.0
25.0
50.0
75.0
Percent of total cases
There were a total of 124,280 injuries and illnesses among Hispanic or Latino workers in 2014. 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 occurred to Hispanic or Latino workers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 7
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries and
illnesses by age of worker, all ownerships, 2014
65 years and older
17
14
12
10
116
45 to 54 years
117
104
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 9)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 107)
10
96
25 to 34 years
5
15
55 to 64 years
35 to 44 years
6
20
94
4
5
Median days away from work
0
20 to 24 years
105
16 to 19 years
107
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. Half of the cases involved more days and half involved
fewer days than a specified median. The median increased as the age of the worker increased. Workers 65 and older required nearly twice
the recuperation time than all workers in 2014. The incidence rate for older workers was 94 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, compared
to a rate of 96 for workers in age group 25 to 34 years.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 8
Injury and illness topology
Nature of
disabling
Nature
of
condition
disabling
condition
Event or
exposure
A nursing aide
strains 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.
The Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) version 2.01 was utilized to code narratives.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 9
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by nature,
all ownerships, 2014
All other natures,
21.6%
Cuts, lacerations,
punctures, 8.2%
Sprains, strains, tears,
36.4%
Fractures, 8.3%
Bruises, contusions,
8.4 %
Soreness, pain, 17.1%
Sprains, strains and tears made up over one-third of all injuries and illnesses in 2014.
They remained essentially unchanged from 2013 at 420,870 cases.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 10
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by nature, all ownerships, 2014
32
Fractures
32
Carpal tunnel syndrome
1
Multiple natures with fractures
1
Amputations
1
31
19
15
10
Sprains, strains, tears
10
Multiple traumatic injuries
3
18
2
Multiple natures with sprains
5
Bruises, contusions
5
Heat (thermal) burns
4
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 9)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 107)
20
39
Soreness, pain
8
30
Less than 1
Tendonitis
9
40
9
9
1
7
Cuts, lacerations
3
Chemical burns and corrosions
3
Cuts, lacerations, punctures
2
10
Median days away from work
Less than 1
9
Punctures (except gunshots)
0
2
0
9
18
27
36
45
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
In 2014, fractures and carpal tunnel syndrome were the most severe, of the selected natures, resulting in a median of 32 days away from
work. Among the fracture cases, approximately one-third occurred to hands and feet. Workers experienced sprains, strains and tears at a
rate of 39 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, and required a median of 10 days away from work.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 11
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by part of body,
all ownerships, 2014
All other parts of body,
10.8%
Head, 7.3%
Upper extremities,
30.0%
Multiple parts,
11.4%
Back, 17.3%
Lower extremities,
23.2%
Upper extremities were the most frequently injured part of the body with 346,170 cases.
There were 268,860 injuries to lower extremities and 200,250 injuries to the back.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 12
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by part of body, all ownerships, 2014
26
Shoulder(s)
17
Knee(s)
15
25
Arm(s)
10
9
Upper extremities
Trunk
9
Ankle
9
Foot
8
Neck
8
Back
7
5
32
25
6
5
2
19
Toe, toenail
6
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 9)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 107)
16
4
Lower extremities
11
24
10
Wrist
12
32
8
1
1
5
Hand(s), except finger(s)
Hand(s)
5
Finger(s), fingernail(s)
8
Head
8
3
2
8
Median days away from work
13
2
Eye(s)
0
0
8
16
24
32
40
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Injuries to the shoulder required the most time away from work to recuperate with a median of 26 days.
Knee injuries required a median of 17 days to recuperate.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 13
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by source,
all ownerships, 2014
All other sources,
10.8%
Parts and materials,
7.5%
Persons, plants, animals
and minerals, 28.4%
Tools, instruments, and
equipment, 7.8%
Vehicles, 10.1%
Containers, furniture, and
fixtures, 14.4%
Structures and surfaces,
21.0%
Persons, plants, animals, and minerals were the source of injury or illness for 329,190 cases in 2014. More than half of these (174,640)
involved bodily motion or position of the injured or ill worker while another 18 percent (58,090) involved health care patients.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 14
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by source, all ownerships, 2014
18
Trucks
15
Ladders
13
Person, injured or ill worker
13
Worker motion or position
16
10
Containers
11
10
Machinery
10
Parts and materials
Floors, walkways, ground
surface
Cart, dolly, hand truck
9
7
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 9)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 107)
12
9
5
8
19
1
Furniture, fixtures
Person, other than injured
or ill worker
Patient
7
15
17
11
10
18
2
Vehicles
12
21
3
7
5
4
10
5
4
Handtools
3
6
Chemicals, chemical products
3
Median days away from work
0
1
0
8
16
24
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
Workers who sustained injuries and illnesses involving trucks required twice the
recuperation time than for all workers at 18 median days away from work.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 15
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by event or exposure,
all ownerships, 2014
All other events,
5.5%
Transportation incidents,
5.4%
Violence and other injuries
by persons, 6.3%
Overexertion and bodily
reaction, 33.2%
Contact with object,
equipment, 22.2%
Falls, slips, trips,
27.4%
Overexertion and bodily reaction along with falls, slips and trips accounted for approximately 60 percent of all injuries and illnesses
with days away from work. The number of cases resulting from falls, slips and trips increased by 6.9 percent from 2013.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 16
Median days away from work and incidence rate due to injuries
and illnesses by event or exposure, all ownerships, 2014
Repetitive motion involving
microtasks
Fall to lower level
23
19
13
12
Transportation incidents
12
Overexertion in lifting or lowering
11
Fires and explosions
11
Falls, slips, trips
10
Slips, trips without fall
10
Fall on same level
Caught in or compressed by
objects or equipment
Intentional injury by other person
6
Median days away from work
(All ownerships median days = 9)
Days-away-from-work rate
(All ownerships rate = 107)
20
15
5
36
Overexertion and bodily reaction
9
25
3
10
5
Struck by object or equipment
5
Struck against object or equipment
5
Contact with object, equipment
4
5
Median days away from work
6
11
Less than 1
29
4
19
4
3
13
6
24
Exposure to harmful substances or
environment
0
4
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 23 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 13 days, four more
than the median for all events or exposures.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 17
Falls on same level by selected secondary sources,
all ownerships, 2014
Ice, sleet, snow
34,860
Liquids, nonchemical
18,100
Furniture and fixtures
8,300
Person other than injured or ill worker
3,400
Power cords, electrical or extension
cords
3,100
Floors, walkways, ground surfaces
2,860
Animal & plant byproducts
Total number of falls on the same level = 203,480
2,020
Secondary source not specified = 102,110
Plant & industrial vehicles, nonpowered
1,250
Machinery
1,150
Ladders
900
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
The selected secondary sources identify the object, substances, equipment, and other factors that precipitated the event or exposure.
Ice, sleet, snow, and non-chemical liquids, such as water, contributed to 26 percent of total falls on the same level.
A contributing factor (secondary source) was not specified in half of the total falls on the same level cases.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 18
Rate of musculoskeletal disorders with days away from work,
by ownership, 2014
32
Private industry
42
State government
Local government
48
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
(Per 10,000 full-time workers)
Number of musculoskeletal disorders with days away from work,
by ownership, 2014
Private industry
298,460
16,670
State government
50,450
Local government
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
(Number of cases)
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) accounted for 32 percent of all cases in 2014. The incidence rate for MSDs in 2014 decreased from 2013 in
private industry and local government. The incidence rate for MSDs for local government workers was higher than the MSD rate for all workers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 19
Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses due to
musculoskeletal disorders by selected occupations, all ownerships, 2014
200
Emergency medical technicians
and paramedics
184
179
5,760
1,690
Highway maintenance workers
Light truck or delivery services
drivers
139
115
Number of MSD cases
(Total = 365,580)
MSD rate
(All ownerships rate = 34)
150
10,390
1,300
Reservation and travel clerks
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck
drivers
112
200
3,880
Firefighters
143
250
20,920
Nursing Assistants
98
Maids and housekeeping cleaners
96
Telecommunications installers and
repairers, except line installers
95
Janitors and cleaners, except maids
100
50
Rate per 10,000 full-time workers
0
17,030
6,650
1,820
14,530
0
8,000
16,000
24,000
32,000
Number of cases
These ten occupations accounted for at least 0.1 percent of total employment. Nursing assistants had the highest rate of MSDs
among these occupations with 200 cases per 10,000 full-time workers as well as the highest number of MSD cases in 2014.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015
Chart 20