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The National Safety Council has released a list of 10 workplace injury statistics that every business owner should know.
The “what was the median number of days missed by injured workers” is a statistic that can be used to assess the impact of workplace injuries. The article provides 10 statistics on this topic.
The Bureau of Labor Data (BLS) compiles yearly occupational injury statistics that policymakers may utilize to improve working conditions and address safety problems throughout the nation. While not every BLS-recorded injury is covered by workers’ compensation, company owners may use the data to detect and limit hazards for their employees, which can help them save money on workers’ compensation insurance. These ten figures from the most current Bureau of Labor Statistics statistics are an excellent place to start.
Please note that the figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for occupational injuries are from 2019. The information will not show any influence from COVID-19 since data from 2020 will be produced this year.
1. In 2019, 2.8 million workers were injured on the job.
The incidence rate of total recordable cases (TRC) of workplace injuries for private sector employees—those not employed by state or local governments—has been constant over the previous three years, according to the most current BLS data: 2.8 per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers. Despite this pause, the incidence rate has been steadily declining since at least 2003, when the US had a rate of 5.0 cases per FTE.
2. Since 1972, the incidence rate has dropped by 75%.
If you go back to 1972, the first year the BLS produced numbers from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, the decreasing trend in incidence rates looks much better. The occupational injury rate was 10.9 instances per 100 full-time employees back then, which is three times higher than it is today.
3. The number of workplace fatalities is expected to rise by 2% in 2019.
While companies in the United States seem to be holding their own in terms of workplace injuries, the same cannot be said for workplace deaths. In 2019, there were 5,333 occupational deaths in the United States. This is a 2% rise over the 2017 data, which was a 2% increase over the previous year’s data. Since 2010, the number of fatal work injuries has been steadily increasing.
4. Workplace injuries resulted in an average of 8 days out from work.
The average number of days absent from work in 2019 was the same as in 2018: eight days across all sectors. That may not seem like a lot, but the most disabling workplace accidents cost businesses $59.59 billion each year, according to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index.
Only direct expenditures such as workers’ compensation payments and legal services are included in Liberty Mutual’s report. The entire cost is pushed up by indirect expenditures such as accident investigations and replacement personnel training. The entire economic burden of workplace injuries in 2019 is estimated to be $171 billion, according to the National Safety Council.
5. Transportation accidents account for 40% of all work-related deaths.
By far the most workplace fatalities, transportation events accounted for approximately 40% of all work-related deaths in 2019. Other instances fall under the following categories:
The overall number of workplace deaths from transportation events increased by 2% from 2018 to 2,122, the highest figure since 2011. Since at least 2014, transportation has been the leading cause of workplace deaths, but it isn’t the sole reason for the rise. According to the BLS, there has been a rise in:
- The number of falls, slips, and trips has increased by 11%.
- The number of people exposed to dangerous chemicals and situations has increased by 3.4 percent.
- Overdoses caused by nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol have increased by 2.6 percent.
6. In 2019, there were 1,061 fatalities in the Construction industry.
Is Construction the riskiest business, with 1,061 work-related deaths, up slightly more than 5% from 2018? It all depends on your perspective. For example, you may argue that the riskiest sector for 2019 is the one that has:
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting had the highest mortality rate, with 23.1 fatalities per 100,000 FTE employees.
- Transportation and warehousing had the highest incidence of nonfatal injuries and illnesses, with 201.6 nonfatal injuries and illnesses per 10,000 employees.
- Government has the most nonfatal job injuries and illnesses, with 220,070 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses.
Looking at mortality and incidence rates might help you determine how dangerous a certain sector is. As one example, compare building to agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting were all involved in 573 deaths in 2019, so you’d think they’d be safer than Construction. However, this does not take into account the industry’s scale. The incidence rate, on the other hand, does, with 9.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers in Construction compared to 23.1 in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting.
7. There were 3,799 workplace injuries in California in 2019.
Given that California is the most populated state in the US, it’s not surprise that it ranks first in occupational injuries. All of the states that rank in the top five for injuries also rank in the top ten for population, including:
- 3,799 in California
- Texas has 1,876 people.
- New York has a population of 1,405 people.
- Pennsylvania has 1,370 people.
- Illinois has 1,048 residents.
The same is true in the case of workplace fatalities:
- 608 Texas
- California has 451 counties.
- 306 Florida
- 273 Broadway, New York
- 207 Georgia
Furthermore, the most current census data reveals that 16 of the 18 sectors recognized by the North American Industry Classification System have the most employment in California (NAICS).
But what if we look at the number of accidents and death rates per 100 full-time employees? That portrays a very different picture:
- Death Rates at the Highest Levels
- 14.1 in Alaska
- Wyoming has a population of 12,000.
- 9.7 North Dakota
- 7.8 in Montana
- 6.4 in Virginia
- The Incidence Rates with the Highest Incidence
- Maine has a score of 4.9.
- 4.5 in Vermont
- 4.0 Washington
- 3.9 in Montana
- Oregon has a 3.9 rating.
The only state from the first batch that appears again—and only at the bottom of one—is California. Does this imply that working in California is inherently riskier? Most likely not. According to the Economic Census Geographic Area Statistics, the leading industries in terms of employment in the state are healthcare and social assistance, lodging and food services, and retail. In the service-providing sectors, these three are likewise in the top four for occupational injuries resulting in days away from work.
8. Overexertion and bodily reaction accounted for 31% of all workplace injuries in 2019.
Transportation accidents may account for the majority of workplace deaths, but overexertion and physical response were the leading causes of injuries resulting in days away from work in 2019, accounting for 275,590 instances across all sectors.
However, just because overexertion and repetitive movements are the most common nonfatal workplace injuries doesn’t indicate they’re the most dangerous in your line of work. In four industrial areas, contact with things or equipment occupies the top rank, including:
- 45,960 cases were produced.
- 26,120 cases were manufactured.
- 5,790 instances in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
- Cases mined: 1,890
Furthermore, the majority of workers missed work due to falls, slips, and trips in the following industries:
- 31,550 examples of leisure and hospitality
- Cases involving professional and commercial services total 19,540.
- 9,570 incidents of financial activity
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s top ten list of most common standard violations in 2019 includes both falls and contact with objects.
9. There were 1.2 work injuries per 100 full-time employees in small businesses.
Small enterprises in the private sector seem to have had a better safety record in 2019 than their larger counterparts. Of course, it all relies on how “small enterprises” is defined. In 2019, there were 1.2 occupational injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in private sector businesses with 10 or less employees. That’s less than the 2.6 work injuries that the private sector as a whole experienced last year. The same may be said for companies with 11 to 49 workers, which had a 2.4 incidence rate.
When it comes to bigger small firms, though, things become more complicated. The Small Business Administration (SBA) set criteria based on income or employee count, so your company might be classified as small with one to 1,500 people depending on your sector. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists companies that have:
- The incidence rate for personnel aged 50 to 249 was 3.3.
- The incidence rate was 2.9 in the range of 250 to 999.
- Nonfatal injuries occurred at a rate of 2.7 per 1,000 workers.
The fact that larger organizations had more occurrences is somewhat unsurprising, but the higher incidence for companies with 50 to 249 workers noteworthy. Furthermore, it applies to a wide range of industries, including:
- Manufacturing
- Overall, the incidence rate is 3.0.
- Incidence rate for employees with 50 to 249 workers: 3.8
- Construction
- Overall, there was a 2.7 percent increase in the number of cases.
- The average incidence rate for workers with 50 to 249 employees is 3.1.
- Trade in Retail
- Overall, there was a 3.3 percent increase in the number of cases.
- Incidence rate for employees with 50 to 249 workers: 4.0
- Trade in Bulk
- Overall, the incidence rate is 2.6.
- Workers with 50 to 249 employees have a 3.1 percent chance of becoming sick.
So, why are workplace injury rates greater in companies with 50 to 249 employees? Our best assumption is that they have more employee contacts, inventory, and equipment, but lack the resources to implement safety initiatives.
10. Wage & Salary Workers Fatality Cases Jumped 13%
Since 2010, the rate of fatal workplace injuries has been fairly consistent for both wage earners and self-employed individuals, with the former averaging between 66 percent and 70 percent of deaths. This changed in 2019, when the ratio of pay and salary workers increased to about 80%.
While the rise in deaths among wage employees is alarming, it pales in contrast to the fatal injury rate per 100,000 self-employed people over the same time period. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has not yet released fatality statistics for 2018 or 2019, although the most current data indicates a low of 11.8 in 2013 and a high of 13.6 in 2014.
Conclusion
On-the-job injuries may have a significant financial impact on a company. Even if it’s just for a short time, losing a worker causes a knowledge gap that stresses your operations while also producing emotional stress for your other workers. To lessen the risk of workplace injuries, smart small company owners work hard to minimize the hazards inherent in their businesses.
