Number of Injuries and Illnesses Involving Time

Away from Work, 1992-1999

0

500

1,0001,5002,0002,500

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 

Injuries and Illnesses (thousands)

Private inService pGoods pr

The number of injuries and illnesses resulting in time away from work was about the same in 1

following steady declines from the levels prevailing early in the decade.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Surve

y of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
0

12345

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 

Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of LaborDecember 2000

Lost workday cases

Cases with days away from work

Cases with days of restricted 

work activity only

The incidence rate for lost workday cases has declined steadily from 4.1 cas100 full-time workers in 1990 to 3.0 cases per 100 full-time workers in 1999.  the two types of lost workday cases moved in opposite directions during th

Lost workday case incidence rates, injuries and illnesses,

private industry, 1981-99
Hours Worked and Nonfatal Injury and Illness

 by Gender of Worker, 1999

Two-thirds of the injured or ill workers were men, well

 above their 59 percent share of the nation’s hours worked.

Men

66%

Women

33%

Injuries and Illnesses with

days away from work

(Total = 1,702,470 injuries and illnesses)

 Chart excludes unreported data.

Women

Hours worke

(Current Population S

Private Wage and Salary 

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Surve

y of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

41%

59%
Hours Worked and Nonfatal Injury and Illness

 by Age of Worker, 1999

16 - 1920 - 24 25 - 3435 - 44 45 - 5455 - 64 65+

Injuries and Illnesses with

days away from work

(Total = 1,702,470 injuries and illnesses)

 Chart excludes unreported data.

Hours wo

(Current Populat

Private Wage and S

A majority of injured or ill workers were 20 to 44 years old. Workers younger than 35 had a higher, 

and older had a lower incidence of injuries or illnesses than each of their hours worked share

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Surve

y of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

3.5%

11.9%

1.4%

8.3%

18.6%

27.4%

29.0%

1.7% 

8.9%

20.5%

28.8%
Operators, fabricators, and laborers accounted for 4 out of every 10 injuries and illnesses, we

employment share of 16.1%.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

Injuries and Illnesses Employmen

(Total =1,702,470 injuries and illnesses) (Current Population S

Private Wage and Salary 

Farming,forestry, afishing 2.

Precisionproduction,craft andrepair11.7%

Service 12.1%

Operators,fabricators,and laborers42.3%

Operators,fabricators,and laborers16.1%

Service17.0%

Precisionproduction,craft andrepair 17.5%

Technical, sales,and administrativesupport 14.7%

Managerial andprofessional 5.6%

Farming, forestry, and fishing 2.5%

Nonclassified, less than 1%

Em

plo

yment and Nonfatal Injur

y and Illness

 b

y Occu

pation, 1999
Occupations with the Most Injuries and Illnesses

with days away from work, 1999

25.7

27.3

28.0

35.0

40.0

43.4

46.5

75.7

89.1

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 

Registered nurses

Stock handlers and baggers

Cooks

Carpenters

Assemblers

Janitors and cleaners

Construction laborers

Nursing aides, orderlies

Laborers, nonconstruction

Truck drivers

Injuries and Illnesses (thousands)

(1,702,470 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

Truck drivers suffered the most injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, follow

laborers,nonconstruction and by nursing aides, orderlies.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Surve

y of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
0

20406080

100120140160180

Truck drivers Laborers,

nonconstruction

Nursing aides,

orderlies

Constructionlaborers

Janitocleane

19921993199419951996199719981999

Number of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Involving Tim

Away from Work for Selected Occupations, 1992-1999

In 1992 laborers, nonconstruction suffered more injuries than any other occupation

however from 1993 to 1999 truck drivers suffered the most injuries involving lost work

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

Injuries and Illnesses (thousands)
Length of Service

(1,702,470 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

by Length of Service, 1999

Most workers had at least 1 year of service with their employer

 when they were injured or became ill.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

Less than 3 months

13.5%

3 to 11 month

18.1%

1 to 5 years

32.3%

More than 5 years

24.3%

Not reported

11.8%
sprains

Nurse

her back

lifting patient

while

her

Nature ofdisablingcondition

Event

or

exposure

Part 

aff

d

pr

d

Injury and Illness Topology

Each injury or illness is

described from four viewpoints.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
Chemical burns 0.7%

Amputations 0.6%

Tendonitis 1.0%

Sprains, strai

739,742 c

Other 16.3%

Bruises, contusions 9.2%

Cuts, lacerations,

punctures 9.0%

Fractures 6.7%

Soreness, pain 6.4%

Multiple injuries 3.5%

Carpal tunnel syndrome 1.6%

Heat burns 1.6%

The Nature of the Disabling Condition,

Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away from Wor

Nature of Injury or Illness

(1,702,470 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

Sprains and strains accounted for almost 740,000

nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
0

5

1015202530

Back Upper

extremities

Lower

extremities

Trunk,

except back

Multiple

body parts

Head 

The Part of Body Affected,

Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away from Wor

Percent

The back was involved almost one-fourth of all occupational injuries and illnesses

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

24.9

23.3

20.6

12.2

8.7

6.3
Chemicals, chemical products 1.7%

Furniture, fixtures 3.4%

Other 13.9%

Floor, ground surfaces 16.0%

Worker motionor position 15.7%

Containers 14.4%

Parts and materia

Vehicles 8.1%

Machinery 6.7%

Handtools 4.6%

Health care patient 4.3%

Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

by Source of Injury or Illness, 1999

Source of Injury or Illness

(1,702,470 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

Four sources accounted for over half of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses that resulted 

days away from work: floor, ground surfaces 16.0%; worker motion or position 15.7%; containe

and parts and materials 11.3%.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
0

5

101520253035404550

Bodily reaction

and exertion

Contact with

objects and

equipment

Falls Exposure to

harmful

substances

Transportation

accidents

Assaults and

violent acts

Ot

The Manner in Which the Disabling Condition Occurred

Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away from W

Bodily reaction and exertion and contact with objects and equipment

accounted for over 70% on nonfatal injuries and illnesses

that resulted in days away from work

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

Percent

43.5

27.0

17.5

4.5 4.3

1.4 1
Percent Change in Incidence Rate

by Selected Events and Exposures, 1992-1999 

All events and

exposures 38%

0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 -45

Transportation accidents

Repetitive motion

Fall to lower level

Fall on same level

Struck by object

Caught in object

Assault, violent acts by pe

All events and exposures

Overexertion

Struck against obje

Slips, trips

Exposed to harmfu

-38

The incidence rate for all events and exposures improved by 38% between 1992 and 1999. T

shows four events improved more than the average and seven events improved less than the 

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

Below average

improvement

Above average

improvement
1

3

4

5

6

8

10

0 2 4 6 8 10 

14 to 1516 to 1920 to 2425 to 3435 to 4445 to 5455 to 64

65 and over

Age ofworker

All ages

6 days

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal Occupat

Injury and Illness by Age of Worker, 1999

Median days away from work

The median days away from work due to nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

increased as the age of the worker increased.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
6

77777

88

0 2 4 6 8 1

All occupations

Guards and police, exc.

Public service

Bus, truck, and stationary

engine mechanics

Electricians

Carpenters

Assemblers

Industrial machinery repairers

Truck drivers

Heating, air conditioning,

refrigeration mechanics

Public transportation attendants

Occupations with the Highest Median Days Away from Work

Median days away from work

Of the occupations with at least 1/2% of the total days away from work cases, public transportation 

heating and air conditioning mechanics had a median of 10 days compared to a median of 6 days for 

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
3

33

4

6

7

9

18

20

0 5 10 15 20 2

Cuts, lacerations

Bruises, contusions

Chemical burns

Heat burns

Sprains, strains, tears

Multiple injuries

Tendonitis

Amputations

Fractures

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal Occupati

Injury or Illness by Nature, 1999

Median days away from work

Carpal tunnel syndrome had a median of 27 days away from work, followed by

fractures with 20 days and amputations with 18 days.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

All natures

6 days
3

444

66666

7

9

10

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 

Exposure to harmful substances

Struck by object

Struck against object

Assaults and violent acts by person

Caught in equipment

Fall to same level

Slips and trips

Overexertion

Overexertion in lifting

Fires and explosions

Transportation accidents

Fall to lower level

Repetitive motion

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal Occupat

Injury or Illness by Event or Exposure, 1999

Median days away from work

Repetitive motion, with a median of 17 days, resulted in the longest absences from work among 

events and exposures. Falls to a lower level and transportation accidents also had median

above the national median.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

All natures

6 days
Sprains, strains, tears 77.2%

Carpal tunnel syndrome 4.8%

Back pain, hurt back 5.0%

Soreness, pain, except 

Hernia 4.3%

MSD system and tissue disorders 

Musculoskeletal Disorders with Days Away from Work

by Nature of Injury or Illness, 1999

Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for 77% of the musculoskeletal disorders that re

in days away from work in 1999.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

Nature of Injury or Illness

(582,340 MSD cases that resulted in days away from work)
Comparison of Total Injury and Illness Cases Involving Days Away fr

to MSD Cases Involving Days Away from Work, 1992-1999

Injuries and Illnesses

(thousands)

Total DAFW caseMSDs

Percentage of Total Cases that are MSD cases

33.6% 33.9% 33.8% 34.1% 34.4% 34.2% 34.2

The percentage of total cases involving lost worktime that result from musculoskeletal d

has remained constant since 1992.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Surve

y of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

0

500

1,0001,5002,0002,500

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998