Skip to main content

Official websites use .gov

A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A **lock** () or **https://** means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Visit the U.S. Fire Administration homepage

HotelsLibraryPublicationsBlogImage GalleryPodcastsAboutContact

            - Fire Academy - Courses
- Programs
- Admissions
- On-Campus Students
- About
- 
- Fire Academy Home

            - NFIRS - eNFIRS Applications
- Documentation
- Training
- Coding Help
- Reporting Guidelines
- Vendor Information
- Data Quality
- Access Data
- About NFIRS
- NERIS
- 
- NFIRS Home

            - Prevention - Home Fires
- Arson & Youth Firesetting
- Hotels & Vacation Rentals
- Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
- Vehicle Fires
- Workplace Fires
- Life Safety Hazards
- Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
- Fire Prevention Officials
- 
- Fire Prevention Home

            - Statistics - Reports
- Death & Injury Risk
- Residential Fires
- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
- Firefighter Fatalities
- Fire Department Registry
- State Statistics
- Data Sets
- 
- Statistics Home

            - EMS
            - Wildfire - Training
- Cohesive Strategy
- Fire-Adapted Communities
- Outreach Materials
- Healthy Landscapes
- Data
- Research & Technology
- Wildfire & WUI Blog
- 
- Wildfire Home

            - A-Z Index
            - 

- Fire Academy... - Overview
- Courses
- Programs
- Admissions
- Campus Life
- About

- NFIRS... - Overview
- eNFIRS Applications
- Documentation
- Training
- Coding Help
- Reporting Guidelines
- Vendor Information
- Data Quality
- Access Data
- About NFIRS
- NERIS

- Fire Prevention... - Overview
- Home Fires
- Arson & Youth Firesetting
- Hotels & Vacation Rentals
- Outdoor Fires/Wildfires
- Vehicle Fires
- Workplace Fires
- Life Safety Hazards
- Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®
- Fire Prevention Officials

- Statistics... - Overview
- Reports
- Death & Injury Risk
- Residential Fires
- Nonresidential Fires
- Outside & Vehicle Fires
- Firefighter Fatalities
- Fire Department List
- State Statistics
- Data Sets

- EMS
- Wildfire... - Overview
- Training
- Cohesive Strategy
- Fire-Adapted Communities
- Outreach Materials
- Data
- Research & Technology
- Wildfire & WUI Blog

- A-Z Index

            - Hotels
            - Library
            - Publications
            - Blog
            - Image Gallery
            - Podcasts
            - About
            - Contact

- Home
- A-Z Index
- Health, Safety & Wellness
- Ergonomics

# Emergency Services Ergonomics and Wellness

    - Share on:
    - 
    - 
    - 

Emergency Services Ergonomics and WellnessSeptember 2020, 258 pages

          - Chapter 1 /
          - 
          - 
          - 
          - 
          - 
          - 
          - 
          - 

## Emergency medical technician injury statistics overview

EMS personnel provide emergency medical care to patients prior to transporting them to the hospital. They face numerous potential hazards while working, including:
          -   Lifting patients and equipment.
          -   Handling infectious patients and hazardous chemicals.
          -   Participating in transport of patients both on the ground and in the air.

The average number of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) injured annually between 2008 and 2016 was 23,411, with the greatest percentage occurring while responding to 911 calls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NIOSH, there was not an appreciable decrease in the overall total of injuries sustained over these nine years. Sprain and strains as the result of overexertion and bodily reactions are the most prevalent of all injury types incurred by EMTs. Between 2008 and 2016, sprains and strains made up an annual average of 37% of the total injuries sustained by EMTs (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 2018). The following is a brief overview of EMS personnel injury statistics:
          -   Sprains and strains of the neck and back, caused by overexertion, are the most common injuries to EMTs (NIOSH, 2018).
          -   EMS workers with less than 10 years of experience sustain the greatest percentage of injuries (NIOSH, 2018).
          -   Between 2008 and 2016, injuries to career EMTs occurred most often between the ages of 25 to 34 years (NIOSH, 2018).

Tables 1.3 through 1.6 provide data on the annual number of EMT injuries, the types and causes of injuries, and the ages of EMTs who are injured. All of the data in these four tables was provided by NIOSH.

|                          | 2008   | 2009   | 2010   | 2011   | 2012   | 2013   | 2014   | 2015   | 2016   |
|--------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Total number of injuries | 21,500 | 23,300 | 23,500 | 27,800 | 24,200 | 20,200 | 21,300 | 18,000 | 21,900 |

| Percentage of total injuries | 2008    | 2009    | 2010    | 2011    | 2012    | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|------------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|------|------|------|------|
| Contusion/abrasion           | 15      | 19      | 16      | 15      | 13      | 13   | 14   | 18   | 8    |
| Puncture/laceration          | – | – | – | – | – | 9    | 8    | 13   | 11   |
| Sprain/strain                | 42      | 38      | 42      | 41      | 37      | 34   | 34   | 32   | 34   |

| Percentage of total injuries       | 2008    | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014    | 2015    | 2016    |
|------------------------------------|---------|------|------|------|------|------|---------|---------|---------|
| Contact with objects and equipment | 14      | 16   | 15   | 11   | 12   | 15   | 11      | 11      | 11      |
| Falls, slips, trips                | 11      | 10   | 8    | 10   | 12   | 11   | 16      | 15      | 8       |
| Harmful exposures                  | 19      | 19   | 17   | 23   | 22   | 20   | 19      | 20      | 19      |
| Overexertion and bodily reaction   | 41      | 37   | 41   | 38   | 34   | 32   | 35      | 31      | 36      |
| Transportation incidents           | – | 7    | 8    | 9    | 9    | 11   | – | – | – |
| Violence                           | 10      | 8    | 10   | 7    | 10   | 10   | 12      | 18      | 16      |

| Percentage of total injuries | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|------------------------------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|
| <25 years                 | 14   | 22   | 19   | 17   | 23   | 18   | 15   | 18   | 14   |
| 25-34 years                  | 40   | 29   | 37   | 36   | 32   | 38   | 39   | 35   | 39   |
| 35-44 years                  | 28   | 21   | 26   | 26   | 24   | 24   | 28   | 24   | 26   |
| >44 years                 | 17   | 18   | 18   | 21   | 21   | 21   | 19   | 22   | 22   |

Back to top

-  Firefighter injuries
- EMT injuries (current page)
- Ergonomics & human factors 

Page last reviewed: Feb. 8, 2021

Be prepared.Be informed.Be safe.

            - 
            - 
            - 
            - 
            - 

Contact USFA

Information for
                - College/university educators
                - On-campus students
                - Off-campus students
                - Online students
                - NFA instructors
                - Public information officers

                - Public fire educators
                - Researchers
                - State training officials
                - Volunteer fire service
                - Wildland firefighters

About USFA
            - Leadership
            - Events
            - Position statements
            - Strategic plan
            - Job announcements
            - Send us your photos
            - Doing business with us
            - Subscribe to email lists

----

16825 S. Seton Ave.Emmitsburg, MD21727USA

800-238-3358

 Fire Is Everyone’s Fight®

USFA.FEMA.govAn official website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

          - Accessibility
          - Accountability
          - Careers
          - Civil Rights
          - Contact FEMA

          - FOIA
          - Glossary
          - No FEAR Act
          - Plug-Ins
          - Privacy

          - Report Disaster Fraud
          - Website Information
          - DHS.gov
          - USA.gov
          - Inspector General

Current Advisories