2007 Nonfatal Occupation

Injuries and Illnesses 

Case and Demographics

November 20, 2008

[NOTE: This chart package was reissued in March 2009 to correct the following charts: 11, 15, 19, 20, and 21. Coding misclassifications for 

selected nature, event or exposure, and source categories within the 

mining and rail transportation industries necessitated the corrections
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work, 

2003-2007

908,310 850,930 840,580 803,060 809,420

407,610 408,400 394,090 380,440 349,450

0

200,000400,000600,000800,000

1,000,0001,200,0001,400,000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Goods-p

Service-

T

200200200200200

In 2007, injuries and illnesses with days away from work declined 2.1 percent. Injuries and illnesses for go

industries declined by 8 percent, while in service-providing industries they increased by 0.8 per
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

In 2007, incidence rates for all events or exposures decreased by 4.4 percent. Each of the subcategories of co

equipment had improvement in their incidence rate, but only two had above average improvement. Struck 

improved by 14 percent and caught in object improved by 11 percent. Struck by object improved by 3 

Percent change in incidence rate of injuries and illnesses

by selected events and exposures, 2006-2007

Above average 

Did not improve improvement

Below average 

improvement

15% 10% 5% 0% -5% -10% 

Assaults and violent acts by otherAssaults and violent acts by animalAssaults and violent actsFall on same levelSlips, trips, loss of balance without fall

Struck by object

All events or exposures, - 4.4%

Repetitive motion

Contact with object, equipment, material

Exposed to harmful substances

Transportation accidents

Overexertion in lifting

Overexertion

Highway accident

Caught in object, equipment, material

Struck against object
0

10,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,00090,000

100,000

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants Construction laborersRetail salespersons Janitors and cleanersCarpenters Light or delivery service truck drivers Maintenance and rep

workers, ge

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

These 10 occupations have had 20,000 or more cases for the past 3 years. Laborers and freight, 

and material movers had a 7 percent decrease in days-away-from-work cases from 2006 to 20

Occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses, 2003-200
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

These 10 occupations have 20,000 or more cases of injuries and illnesses. Laborers and freight, stock, and 

had 79,000 cases of injuries and illnesses and a rate of 434 per 10,000 workers. Nursing aides, orderlies, a

had a higher rate, 465 per 10,000 workers, but fewer cases.

Incidence r

(per 10,000 wo

Number of cases

Number and incidence rate for occupations with 

20,000 or more injuries and illnesses, 2007

125

238

286

262

103

370

39

349

20,020

23,460

23,800

30,060

32,920

32,930

34,180

44,930

57,050

79,000

100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 200 400 

Registered nurses

Maintenance and repair

workers, general

Carpenters

Janitors and cleaners

Retail salespersons

Light or delivery service

truck drivers

Construction laborers

Nursing aides, orderlies,

and attendants

Heavy and tractor-trailer

truck drivers

Laborers and freight, stock,

and material movers

Days-away-from-work rate(Private industry rate = 122)Number of cases(Total = 1,158,870)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses 

for occupations with high incidence rates, 2007

304

313

336

349

350

363

370

394

415

434

465

4,400

7,030

12,300

57,050

4,360

3,700

32,930

34,180

4,740

44,930

600 400 200 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 

Reservation and transportation

ticket agents and travel clerks

Welders, cutters, solderers,

and brazers

Heating, air conditioning, and

refrigeration mechanics and installers

Emergency medical technicians

and paramedics

Heavy and tractor-trailer

truck drivers

Light or delivery service

truck drivers

Food servers, nonrestaurant

Nursing aides, orderlies,

and attendants

Laborers and freight, stock,

and material movers

Days-away-from(Private industry Number of cases(Total = 1,158,87

Construction laborers

Roofers

Incidence rate Number of cases

(per 10,000 workers)

These eleven occupations have 1/10 of one percent of employment and an incidence rate of 300 or more. Food 

415 per 10,000 workers, but a much lower number of cases compared to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers w
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Injuries and illnesses and employment 

by industry domain, 2007

Injuries and illnesses with 

days away from work

(Total cases = 1,158,870)

Employmen

(BLS Quarterly Censu

Employment and Wag

In 2007, goods-producing industries made up 20 percent of private industry employment but acco

for 30 percent of injuries and illnesses with days away from work. Service-providing industries m

up 80 percent of employment and 70 percent of injuries and illnesses.

Goods

producing

30%

Service

providing

70%

Go

prod

2

Service

providing

80%

Days-away-from-work rate

Goods-producing: 153

Service-providing: 112
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Injuries and illnesses and hours worked 

by gender of worker, 2007

Injuries and illnesses with 

days away from work

(Total cases with gender

reported = 1,153,900)

Hours worked

(Current Population Surve

Private Wage and Salary Wo

Almost two-thirds of injured or ill workers were men in 2007, well above their 59 percent share of the total 

Women

35%

Men64%

W

4

Men

59%

Days-away-from-work rate

Men: 134

Women: 105
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Number of injuries and illnesses and percentage of cases 

involving Hispanic or Latino workers by industry, 2007

1,130

3,690

3,770

10,300

14,600

15,580

18,480

25,480

29,990

34,290

40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0

Information

Other services 

Financial activities

Natural resources and mining

Educational and health services

Professional and business services

Leisure and hospitality

Construction

Manufacturing

Trade transportation and utilities

Cases involving Hispanic or Latino workers

In 2007, there were 157,320 injuries and illnesses among Hispanic or Latino workers. Hispanic or Latino workers m

injuries and illnesses where race or ethnicity was reported. Race is not reported in nearly one-third of 

6%

12%

11%

8%

18%

2

19

16%

10%

0% 10% 20% 

Percent of cases Hispanic or Latin
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Median days away from work due to injuries and illnesses 

and incidence rate by age of worker, 2007 

44

6

8

10

12

16

20 15 10 5 0 50 

16 to 1920 to 2425 to 3435 to 4445 to 5455 to 64

65 and over

Median days away from work (Private industry median days = 7)Days-away-from-work rate (Total, all ages = 122)

Age of 

worker

Median days away from work Incidence r

(per 10,000 wo

Median days away from work is a key measure of severity of injuries and illnesses. Injuries and illnesses become 

increases, requiring 4 days away from work for workers aged 16 to 24 to 16 days for those workers 65 years 
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

sprains

A laborer

his back

overexertion boxes

from

in

Nature ofdisabling

condition

Event

or

exposure

Pa

a

pr

d

Injury and illness topology

Each injury or illness is described from four viewpoints.

lifting
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Sprains and strains accounted for 448,380 injuries and illnesses with days away from work 

and had an incidence rate of 47.3 per 10,000 full-time workers.

Distribution of injuries and illnesses by nature, 2007

Cuts, lacerations,

and punctures, 9.2% 

Bruises, contusions

8.7%

Fractures, 8.2%

Soreness, pain, except back, 6.8%

Sprains

38

Chemical burns, 0.5%

All other natures, 17.0%

Tendonitis, 0.4%

Amputations, 0.6%

Carpal tunnel syndrome, 1.0%

Heat burns, 1.5%

Multiple traumatic injuries, 4.0% 

Back pain, 3.2%
30

28

21

1010

888

5

44

3

10

11

5

1

8

4

2

1111

1

40 20 0 20 40 

Chemical burns

Cuts, lacerations,

and punctures

Bruises, contusions

Heat burns

Sprains, strains, tears

Back pain

Soreness, pain, except back

Tendonitis

Multiple traumatic injuries

Amputations

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Fractures

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Median days away from work Incidence rate (per 10,000 workers)

Fractures had the most median days away from work in 2007 with 30 days, followed by 

carpal tunnel syndrome with 28 days and amputations with 21 days. 

Median days aw(Private industrDays-away-from(Total, all natur

Median days away from work and incidence rate due to

injuries and illnesses by nature, 2007 
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Upper extremities, lower extremities, and back each accounted for one-fifth of all injuries and illne

Distribution of injuries and illnesses by part of body, 2007

Back

20.4%

Trunk

33.2%

Back

20.4%

Upper extremities, 23.2%

Lower extremities

22.5%

Multiple body

parts, 10.4%

Neck, 1.5% All other parts, 0.9%

Body systems, 1.5%

Head, 6.8%
5

5

6

777

88

99

10

14

15

18

11

5

2

28

25

6

7

6

13

28

5

10

8

30 20 10 0 10 20 30 

Finger

Hand, except finger

Neck

Upper extremities

Back

Foot, toe

Trunk

Ankle

Arm

Multiple body parts

Lower extremities

Wrist

Knee

Shoulder

Median days away from work and incidence rate due to

injuries and illnesses by part of body, 2007

Median days a(Private industDays-away-fro(Total, all parts 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Injuries and illnesses to the shoulder (18 days), knee (15 days), and wrist (14 days) required the m

time to recuperate in 2007. These were at least twice the median time required for all parts.

Median days away from work Incidence rate (per 10,000 workers)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Four sources accounted for more than half of all nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses that re

in days way from work: floor, ground surfaces with 20 percent; worker motion or position 

with 14 percent; containers with 12 percent; and parts and materials with 10 percent.

Distribution of injuries and illnesses by source, 2007

Wor

pos

Containers, 11.8%

Parts and materials, 10.1%

Vehicles, 8.4%

Machinery, 6.0%

Handtools, 4.7%

Health care patient, 4.4%

Furniture and fixtures, 4.0%

Floors, ground 

surfaces, 19.9%

All other sources, 15.0%

Chemicals and chemical 

products, 1.5%
3

5

66

7

88

9

1111

2

8

55

12

14

7

10

17

15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 

Chemicals and chemical

products

Tools, instruments, and

equipment

Furniture and fixtures

Health care patient

Parts and materials

Containers

Machinery

Vehicles

Worker motion or position

Floors, walkways, and

ground surfaces

Median days away from work and incidence rate due 

to injuries and illnesses by source, 2007

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Median days away from work Incidence rate 

(per 10,000 workers)

Floors, walkways, and ground surfaces and worker motion or position had the highest 

median days away from work with rates of 24 and 17 respectively.

Median days aw(Private industrDays-away-from(Total, all sourc
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

More than 8 out of 10 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from 

in 2007 were from contact with objects, equipment, and material; bodily reaction and exertion; or 

Distribution of injuries and illnesses by event or exposure, 20

Bodily reaction 

and exertion

38.0% 

Contact with o

equipment, and 

27.4% 

Falls, 21.9%

Exposed to harmful substances, 4.6% 

Transportation accidents, 4.6%

Assaults and violent acts, 2.1%

Fires and explosions, 0.2%

All other events, 1.3%
3

555

88

999

10

11

15

20

6

2

8

17

6

15

18

4

6

0

8

4

30 20 10 0 10 20 

Exposed to harmful

substances

Assaults and violent

acts by persons

Struck against object

Struck by object

Caught in objects, equipment,

and materials

Overexertion in lifting

Fall on same level

Slips, trips, loss of balance

without fall

Overexertion

Transportation accidents

Fires and explosions

Fall to lower level

Repetitive motion

Median days away from work and incidence rate due 

to injuries and illnesses by event or exposure, 2007

Median days awa(Private industry mDays-away-from-w(Total, all events o

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Median days away from work Incidence rate (per 10,000 workers

Of the events shown, repetitive motion injuries and illnesses had the highest median days away from work, b

incidence rate. At 20 days, its median was almost three times the median for all injuries and illne
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Number of musculoskeletal disorders, 2002-2007

0

100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 

In 2007, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) accounted for 335,390 cases, or 29 percent of the total i

and illnesses with days away from work. The incidence rate for MSDs declined 9 percent from 2006 

34.0%

of total cases

33.1%

of total cases 32.0%

of total cases 30.4%

of total cases 30.2%

of total cases 
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Distribution of musculoskeletal disorders 

by nature of injury or illness, 2007 

Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for three-fourths of the musculoskeletal disorders that resu

days away from work in 2007. Carpal tunnel syndrome accounted for 4 percent of the MSD cas

Sprains, 

strains, tears

75.3%

Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue dis

and disorders, except tendonitis, 2.8% 

Hernia, 4.6%

Back pain, hurt back, 

Carpal tunnel syndrome, 3.6%

Soreness, pain, except b

Tendonitis, 1.1%
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days 

Incidence rate and number of injuries and illnesses due to 

musculoskeletal disorders by selected occupations, 2007 

MSD cases (TMSD Incidence (Private indust

These occupations had a 0.5 percent or more of total cases and have more than twice the average MSD inc

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants have 7 times the average rate of MSDs but their number of cases declined 

Incidence rate

(per 10,000 workers) Number of musculoskeletal d

252 

2,230

1,900

10,460

16,4

1,780

5,490

3,010

6,950

9,200

1,910

2,780

179

149

132

117

101

88

83

808080

7776

300 200 0 10,000 20

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

Industrial machinery mechanics

Janitors and cleaners

Construction laborers

Driver/sales workers

Maids and housekeeping cleaners

Bus, truck, diesel mechanics

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Light or delivery services truck drivers

Reservation and transportation ticket agents

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants