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Technical information: (202) 606-6179 USDL 97-453

Media information: (202) 606-5902 For release: 10 A.M. EST

Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/oshhome.htm Wednesday, December 17, 1997

WORKPLACE INJURIES AND ILLNESSES IN 1996

A total of 6.2 million injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry workplaces

during 1996, resulting in a rate of 7.4 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers, according to a

survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Employers reported a

5 percent decrease in the number of cases and a 3 percent increase in hours worked compared

with 1995, reducing the case rate from 8.1 in 1995 to 7.4 in 1996. The rate for 1996 was the

lowest on record since the Bureau began reporting this information in the early 1970s. (See

“Background of the Survey” for a discussion of the factors that can influence rate changes from

one survey to the next.)

The following tabulation on incidence rates for injuries and illnesses shows the decline in

rates per 100 full-time workers since 1992:

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

 Private industry 8.9 8.5 8.4 8.1 7.4

 Goods-producing 12.4 11.9 11.9 11.2 10.2

 Service-producing 7.3 7.1 6.9 6.7 6.2

Among goods-producing industries, manufacturing had the highest incidence rate in 1996

(10.6 cases per 100 full-time workers), followed by construction (9.9 cases per 100 full-time

workers). (See chart 1 and table 1.) Within the service-producing sector, the highest incidence

rate in 1996 was reported for transportation and public utilities (8.7 cases per 100 full-time

workers), followed by retail and wholesale trade industries (6.8 cases per 100 workers).

This release is the second in a series of three releases pertaining to 1996 from the BLS

safety and health statistical series. The first release, in August 1997, covered work-related

fatalities from the 1996 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. In April 1998, a third

release will provide details on the more seriously injured and ill workers (occupations, age,

gender, race, and length of service) and on the circumstances of their injuries and illnesses (nature

of the disabling condition, part of body affected, event or exposure, and primary source
2

Chart 1. Nonfatal workplace injury and illness incidence rates by industry

division, 1992-96

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Agriculture,

 forestry, &

fishing

Mining Construction Manufacturing Transportation

 & public

 utilities

Trade Finance,

insurance, & real

estate

Services

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

Total cases

Cases without lost workdays

Lost workday cases

Cases with days away from work

Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers

Chart 2. Workplace injury and illness incidence rates by type of case, 1980-96
3

producing the disability). "More seriously" is defined in this survey as involving days away from

work.

Lost workday cases

About 2.8 million injuries and illnesses in 1996 were lost workday cases, that is, they

required recuperation away from work or restricted duties at work, or both. (See table 2.) The

incidence rate for lost workday cases has declined steadily from 4.1 cases per 100 full-time

workers in 1990 to 3.4 cases per 100 workers in 1996. (See chart 2.) The rate for cases with

days away from work has declined for six years in a row and, at 2.2 cases per 100 full-time

workers in 1996, was the lowest level on record. By contrast, the rate for cases involving

restricted work activity only rose from 0.7 cases per 100 workers in 1990 to 1.1 cases in 1995

and remained at that level in 1996. The latter types of cases may involve shortened hours, a

temporary job change, or temporary restrictions on certain duties (e.g., no heavy lifting) of a

worker’s regular job. They are especially evident in manufacturing, where the rate of restricted

work activity cases (2.4 per 100 full-time workers) is more than double the corresponding

national rate.

Injuries and Illnesses

Injuries. Of the 6.2 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses in 1996, nearly 5.8 million were

injuries that resulted in either lost worktime, medical treatment other than first aid, loss of

consciousness, restriction of work or motion, or transfer to another job. Injury rates generally are

higher for mid-size establishments employing 50 to 249 workers than for smaller or larger

establishments, although this pattern does not hold within certain industry divisions. (See table 3.)

Nine industries, each having at least 100,000 injuries, accounted for about 1.8 million injuries, or

31 percent of the 5.8 million total. (See table 4.)

Illnesses. There were about 439,000 newly reported cases of occupational illnesses in

private industry in 1996. Manufacturing accounted for three-fifths of these cases. (See table 5.)

Disorders associated with repeated trauma, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and noise-induced

hearing loss, accounted for 4 percent of the 6.2 million workplace injuries and illnesses. They

were, however, the dominant type of illness reported, making up 64 percent of the 439,000 total

illness cases. (See “Background of the Survey” for limitations on kinds of illnesses reported.)

The number of repeated trauma cases reported in 1996 (281,000) was 9 percent lower than the

corresponding 1995 figure (308,000) and 15 percent lower than the record 1994 figure (332,000).

Background of the Survey

The Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses is a Federal/State program in which

employer reports are collected from about 165,000 private industry establishments and processed

by state agencies cooperating with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational injury and illness

data for coal, metal, and nonmetal mining and for railroad activities were provided by the

Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Department of

Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration. The survey measures nonfatal injuries and
4

illnesses only. The survey excludes the self-employed; farms with fewer than 11 employees;

private households; and employees in federal, state, and local government agencies.

The annual survey provides estimates of the number and frequency (incidence rates) of

workplace injuries and illnesses based on logs kept by private industry employers during the year.

These records reflect not only the year’s injury and illness experience, but also the employer’s

understanding of which cases are work related under current recordkeeping guidelines of the U.S.

Department of Labor. The number of injuries and illnesses reported in any given year also can be

influenced by the level of economic activity, working conditions and work practices, worker

experience and training, and the number of hours worked.

The survey measures the number of new work-related illness cases which are recognized,

diagnosed, and reported during the year. Some conditions, e.g., long-term latent illnesses caused

by exposure to carcinogens, often are difficult to relate to the workplace and are not adequately

recognized and reported. These long-term latent illnesses are believed to be understated in the

survey’s illness measures. In contrast, the overwhelming majority of the reported new illnesses

are those that are easier to directly relate to workplace activity (e.g., contact dermatitis or carpal

tunnel syndrome).

Establishments are classified in industry categories based on the 1987 Standard Industrial

Classification (SIC) Manual, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. In the trucking

and warehousing and transportation by air industries, SIC coding changes that were introduced

with the 1996 BLS Covered Employment and Wages program were incorporated into the

estimates for the 1996 survey. Because of these changes, estimates for 1996 for the following

industries are not comparable to estimates for prior years: trucking and warehousing (SIC 42);

trucking and courier services, excluding air (SIC 421); public warehousing and storage

(SIC 422); trucking terminal facilities (SIC 423); transportation by air (SIC 45); air

transportation, scheduled (SIC 451); air transportation industries, nonscheduled (SIC 452);

transportation services (SIC 47); freight transportation arrangement (SIC 473); and miscellaneous

transportation services (SIC 478). In addition, the 1996 estimates for transportation and public

utilities may have more variability than those for prior years.

The survey estimates of occupational injuries and illnesses are based on a scientifically

selected probability sample, rather than a census of the entire population. Because the data are

based on a sample survey, the injury and illness estimates probably differ from the figures that

would be obtained from all units covered by the survey. To determine the precision of each

estimate, a standard error was calculated. The standard error defines a range (confidence interval)

around the estimate. The approximate 95-percent confidence interval is the estimate plus or

minus twice the standard error. The standard error also can be expressed as a percent of the

estimate, or the relative standard error. For example, the 95-percent confidence interval for an

incidence rate of 6.5 per 100 full-time workers with a relative standard error of 1.0 percent would

be 6.5 plus or minus 2 percent (2 times 1.0 percent) or 6.37 to 6.63. One can be 95 percent

confident that the “true” incidence rate falls within the confidence interval. The 1996 incidence

rate for all occupational injuries and illnesses of 7.4 per 100 full-time workers in private industry

has an estimated relative standard error of about 0.7 percent. A relative standard error was
5

calculated for each estimate from the survey and will be published in a BLS bulletin that is

scheduled to be available in 1998.

The data also are subject to nonsampling error. The inability to obtain information about

all cases in the sample, mistakes in recording or coding the data, and definition difficulties are

examples of nonsampling error in the survey. Nonsampling errors are not measured. However,

BLS has implemented quality assurance procedures to minimize nonsampling error in the survey.

The goods-producing sector consists of the following industry divisions: agriculture,

forestry, and fishing; mining; construction; and manufacturing. The service-producing sector

includes the following industry divisions: transportation and public utilities; trade; finance,

insurance, and real estate; and services.

BLS has generated estimates of injuries and illnesses combined and of injuries

alone for nearly all 2-, 3-, and, for manufacturing, 4-digit private sector industries as

defined in the 1987 edition of the Standard Industrial Classification Manual.

Because of space limitations, a complete listing of these estimates is not possible in

this release. The information is available from BLS staff on

202-606-6179 or from the BLS Internet at: http://stats.bls.gov/oshhome.htm.
6

Table 1. Incidence rates1 of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, by industry division, selected industries and case type, 1996

Industry 2 SIC

code 3

1996

Annual

average

employment 4

(000’s)

Injuries and illnesses Injuries

Total

cases

Lost workday cases

Cases

without

lost

workdays

Total

cases

Lost workday cases

Cases

without

lost

workdays Total 5

With days

away

from

work 6

Total 5

With days

away

from

work 6

Private industry 7 .................................................. 98,772.9 7.4 3.4 2.2 4.1 6.9 3.1 2.1 3.8

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 7 ..................... 1,717.4 8.7 3.9 3.0 4.8 8.4 3.8 2.9 4.6

Agricultural production 7 ................................... 01-02 752.2 9.4 4.3 3.4 5.1 8.9 4.1 3.2 4.8

Agricultural production-crops 7 ...................... 01 579.7 8.4 3.8 2.9 4.6 8.0 3.7 2.8 4.3

Agricultural production-livestock 7 ................. 02 172.4 12.8 6.0 4.8 6.8 12.1 5.7 4.7 6.4

Agricultural services ...................................... 07 927.6 8.3 3.7 2.7 4.7 8.0 3.6 2.6 4.5

Forestry ......................................................... 08 25.3 6.8 3.2 2.5 3.6 6.6 3.1 2.5 3.5

Fishing, hunting, and trapping ....................... 09 12.3 8.2 2.7 2.3 5.5 7.6 2.5 2.1 5.1

Mining 8 ............................................................. 578.3 5.4 3.2 2.5 2.2 5.3 3.2 2.4 2.1

Metal mining 8 ............................................... 10 53.9 5.0 2.9 1.7 2.1 4.7 2.8 1.6 2.0

Coal mining 8 ................................................. 12 97.6 8.0 5.8 5.4 2.1 7.7 5.7 5.3 2.0

Oil and gas extraction ................................... 13 319.5 5.0 2.7 1.8 2.3 4.8 2.6 1.7 2.2

Nonmetallic minerals, except fuels 8 ............. 14 107.4 4.8 2.9 2.2 1.9 4.7 2.9 2.2 1.8

Construction ...................................................... 5,359.7 9.9 4.5 3.7 5.4 9.7 4.4 3.7 5.3

General building contractors ......................... 15 1,256.1 9.0 4.0 3.3 5.0 8.9 3.9 3.2 5.0

Heavy construction, except building .............. 16 770.7 9.0 4.3 3.4 4.7 8.8 4.2 3.3 4.6

Special trade contractors .............................. 17 3,332.9 10.4 4.8 4.0 5.7 10.3 4.7 3.9 5.6

Manufacturing ................................................... 18,460.5 10.6 4.9 2.5 5.7 9.2 4.3 2.3 4.9

Durable goods ................................................. 10,774.4 11.6 5.1 2.7 6.5 10.1 4.5 2.4 5.6

Lumber and wood products ........................... 24 777.9 14.2 6.8 4.2 7.4 13.5 6.5 4.0 7.1

Furniture and fixtures .................................... 25 503.6 12.2 5.4 2.7 6.9 10.6 4.7 2.4 6.0

Stone, clay, and glass products .................... 32 544.1 12.4 6.0 3.7 6.4 11.6 5.7 3.6 5.9

Primary metal industries ................................ 33 709.6 15.0 6.8 3.6 8.2 13.8 6.4 3.4 7.4

Fabricated metal products ............................. 34 1,447.1 14.4 6.2 3.5 8.2 13.3 5.7 3.3 7.6

Industrial machinery and equipment ............. 35 2,108.4 9.9 4.0 2.3 5.9 9.1 3.7 2.1 5.4

Electronic and other electric equipment ........ 36 1,655.4 6.8 3.1 1.5 3.7 5.4 2.5 1.2 3.0

Transportation equipment ............................. 37 1,785.2 16.3 7.0 3.1 9.3 12.5 5.6 2.6 6.9

Instruments and related products .................. 38 853.3 5.1 2.3 1.1 2.9 3.9 1.7 .9 2.2

Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ....... 39 389.9 9.5 4.4 2.2 5.0 8.3 3.8 2.0 4.5

Nondurable goods ........................................... 7,686.0 9.2 4.6 2.3 4.6 7.9 3.9 2.1 3.9

Food and kindred products ........................... 20 1,690.0 15.0 8.0 3.5 7.1 12.2 6.4 3.2 5.8

Tobacco products .......................................... 21 40.6 6.7 2.8 2.1 3.9 6.3 2.6 2.0 3.7

Textile mill products ...................................... 22 627.6 7.8 3.6 1.4 4.2 6.7 3.2 1.3 3.5

Apparel and other textile products ................ 23 866.1 7.4 3.3 1.8 4.1 5.8 2.5 1.4 3.3

Paper and allied products ............................. 26 681.9 7.9 3.8 2.0 4.0 7.2 3.6 1.9 3.5

Printing and publishing .................................. 27 1,533.1 6.0 2.8 1.8 3.2 5.5 2.6 1.7 2.9

Chemicals and allied products ...................... 28 1,029.8 4.8 2.4 1.1 2.5 4.2 2.1 1.0 2.1

Petroleum and coal products ........................ 29 141.3 4.6 2.5 1.2 2.1 4.3 2.4 1.1 1.9

Rubber and miscellaneous plastics 

products .................................................. 30 979.9 12.3 6.3 3.2 6.0 11.2 5.7 2.9 5.5

Leather and leather products ........................ 31 95.7 10.7 4.5 2.3 6.2 8.5 3.5 1.9 5.0

Transportation and public utilities 8,9 ................ 5,989.0 8.7 5.1 3.8 3.6 8.4 5.0 3.7 3.4

Railroad transportation 8 ............................... 40 – 3.5 2.7 2.3 .8 3.4 2.6 2.3 .8

Local and interurban passenger transit ......... 41 416.3 10.3 5.4 4.5 4.8 9.7 5.3 4.4 4.4

Trucking and warehousing 9 ......................... 42 1,622.7 10.4 5.9 5.0 4.5 10.2 5.7 4.9 4.5

Water transportation ...................................... 44 176.5 9.8 5.2 4.8 4.6 9.6 5.1 4.7 4.5

Transportation by air 9 ................................... 45 1,119.2 17.9 11.8 7.9 6.1 17.3 11.5 7.7 5.8

Pipelines, except natural gas ........................ 46 14.5 2.0 .8 .6 1.3 1.9 .7 .6 1.2

Transportation services 9 .............................. 47 414.7 3.5 1.6 1.1 1.9 3.4 1.6 1.1 1.8

Communications ........................................... 48 1,345.2 3.5 1.9 1.5 1.6 3.1 1.8 1.3 1.3

Electric, gas, and sanitary services ............... 49 878.9 6.9 3.6 2.0 3.3 6.5 3.5 1.9 3.0

See footnotes at end of table.
7

Table 1. Incidence rates1 of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, by industry division, selected industries and case type, 1996

— Continued

Industry 2 SIC

code 3

1996

Annual

average

employment 4

(000’s)

Injuries and illnesses Injuries

Total

cases

Lost workday cases

Cases

without

lost

workdays

Total

cases

Lost workday cases

Cases

without

lost

workdays Total 5

With days

away

from

work 6

Total 5

With days

away

from

work 6

Wholesale and retail trade ................................ 28,027.1 6.8 2.9 2.1 3.9 6.6 2.8 2.0 3.8

Wholesale trade .............................................. 6,471.7 6.6 3.4 2.3 3.3 6.5 3.3 2.3 3.2

Wholesale trade--durable goods ................... 50 3,802.9 6.2 3.0 2.1 3.2 6.0 2.9 2.0 3.1

Wholesale trade--nondurable goods ............. 51 2,668.8 7.3 4.0 2.7 3.3 7.1 3.9 2.7 3.2

Retail trade ...................................................... 21,555.3 6.9 2.8 2.0 4.1 6.7 2.7 1.9 4.0

Building materials and garden supplies ........ 52 883.9 9.6 4.5 3.1 5.1 9.5 4.5 3.1 5.0

General merchandise stores ......................... 53 2,679.0 9.7 4.8 2.7 4.9 9.5 4.6 2.6 4.8

Food stores ................................................... 54 3,425.6 9.4 3.9 3.0 5.5 9.0 3.7 2.8 5.4

Automotive dealers and service stations ....... 55 2,261.0 6.8 2.5 1.9 4.3 6.6 2.4 1.8 4.2

Apparel and accessory stores ....................... 56 1,113.3 3.7 1.5 1.0 2.1 3.6 1.5 .9 2.1

Furniture and homefurnishings stores ........... 57 967.8 4.7 2.2 1.6 2.5 4.6 2.2 1.6 2.4

Eating and drinking places ............................ 58 7,516.7 6.2 1.9 1.5 4.3 6.1 1.9 1.5 4.2

Miscellaneous retail ....................................... 59 2,708.0 4.1 1.9 1.4 2.2 3.9 1.8 1.3 2.1

Finance, insurance, and real estate .................. 6,746.2 2.4 .9 .7 1.4 2.1 .8 .6 1.3

Depository institutions ................................... 60 2,014.9 1.8 .6 .5 1.2 1.6 .5 .4 1.1

Nondepository institutions ............................. 61 512.2 1.1 .4 .3 .6 .9 .4 .3 .6

Security and commodity brokers ................... 62 551.5 .6 .2 .1 .4 .5 .2 .1 .3

Insurance carriers ......................................... 63 1,376.9 2.1 .7 .5 1.4 1.6 .5 .4 1.1

Insurance agents, brokers, and service ........ 64 707.0 1.4 .4 .3 1.0 1.1 .3 .2 .8

Real estate .................................................... 65 1,372.0 5.4 2.4 1.9 2.9 5.3 2.4 1.9 2.9

Holding and other investment offices ............ 67 211.7 2.8 1.3 .6 1.5 2.6 1.2 .5 1.4

Services ............................................................ 31,894.7 6.0 2.6 1.8 3.4 5.7 2.5 1.8 3.2

Hotels and other lodging places .................... 70 1,699.0 9.0 4.5 2.7 4.6 8.8 4.3 2.7 4.4

Personal services .......................................... 72 1,181.5 3.8 1.8 1.2 2.0 3.5 1.7 1.1 1.8

Business services ......................................... 73 7,336.3 3.9 1.7 1.3 2.2 3.7 1.6 1.2 2.0

Auto repair, services, and parking ................. 75 1,081.0 5.9 2.5 2.1 3.4 5.7 2.5 2.1 3.2

Miscellaneous repair services ....................... 76 374.2 6.3 3.0 2.4 3.3 6.1 2.9 2.3 3.2

Amusement and recreation services ............. 79 1,524.8 9.5 4.4 2.5 5.1 9.1 4.2 2.4 4.9

Health services .............................................. 80 9,439.2 9.1 3.7 2.7 5.4 8.5 3.5 2.6 4.9

Legal services ............................................... 81 930.3 1.1 .4 .4 .7 .8 .3 .2 .5

Educational services ..................................... 82 1,472.8 3.4 1.3 1.0 2.0 3.2 1.3 1.0 1.9

Social services .............................................. 83 2,347.3 7.2 3.1 2.4 4.0 7.0 3.0 2.3 3.9

Membership organizations ............................ 86 975.4 3.5 1.3 1.1 2.1 3.3 1.2 1.0 2.0

Engineering and management services ........ 87 2,865.5 2.0 .8 .6 1.2 1.8 .8 .5 1.1

1 The incidence rates represent the number of injuries and illnesses per 100

full-time workers and were calculated as: (N/EH) x 200,000, where 

 

N =number of injuries and illnesses 

EH =total hours worked by all employees during 

 the calendar year 

200,000 =base for 100 equivalent full-time workers 

 (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year).

2 Totals include data for industries not shown separately. 3 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition. 4 Employment is expressed as an annual average and is derived primarily

from the BLS-State Covered Employment and Wages program. Employment

for private households (SIC 88) is excluded. 5 Total lost workday cases involve days away from work, or days of

restricted work activity, or both. 6 Days-away-from-work cases include those which result in days away from

work with or without restricted work activity. 7 Excludes farms with fewer than 11 employees.

8 Data conforming to OSHA definitions for mining operators in coal, metal,

and nonmetal mining and for employers in railroad transportation are provided

to BLS by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of

Labor; and the Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of

Transportation. Independent mining contractors are excluded from the coal,

metal, and nonmetal mining industries. 9 In 1996, air courier operations previously classified in Industry Groups

421, 422, 423, 452, 473, and 478 were reclassified to Industry Group 451. As

a result, the 1996 estimates for these SIC’s and Major Industry Groups 42, 45,

and 47 are not comparable to those for prior years. In addition, the 1996

estimates for transportation and public utilities may have more variability than

those for prior years.

 NOTE: Because of rounding, components may not add to totals. – Data not available. 

 SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
8

Table 2. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, by industry division, selected industries and case type, 1996

Industry 1 SIC

code 2

1996

Annual

average

employment 3

(000’s)

Injuries and illnesses Injuries

Total

cases

(000’s)

Lost workday cases

Cases

without

lost

workdays

(000’s)

Total

cases

(000’s)

Lost workday cases

Cases

without

lost

workdays

(000’s)

Total 4

(000’s)

With days

away

from

work 5

(000’s)

Total 4

(000’s)

With days

away

from

work 5

(000’s)

Private industry 6 .................................................. 98,772.9 6,238.9 2,832.5 1,880.6 3,406.4 5,799.9 2,646.3 1,785.8 3,153.6

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6 ..................... 1,717.4 113.0 50.6 38.3 62.4 108.4 49.0 37.0 59.4

Agricultural production 6 ................................... 01-02 752.2 47.9 22.0 17.1 25.9 45.5 21.1 16.4 24.4

Agricultural production-crops 6 ...................... 01 579.7 32.6 14.9 11.4 17.8 31.1 14.3 10.9 16.8

Agricultural production-livestock 6 ................. 02 172.4 15.2 7.1 5.7 8.1 14.4 6.8 5.5 7.6

Agricultural services ...................................... 07 927.6 63.0 27.7 20.4 35.3 60.8 27.0 19.8 33.8

Forestry ......................................................... 08 25.3 1.3 .6 .5 .7 1.3 .6 .5 .7

Fishing, hunting, and trapping ....................... 09 12.3 .8 .3 .2 .6 .8 .2 .2 .5

Mining 7 ............................................................. 578.3 33.3 19.9 15.1 13.4 32.4 19.5 14.7 12.9

Metal mining 7 ............................................... 10 53.9 2.4 1.4 .8 1.0 2.3 1.3 .8 .9

Coal mining 7 ................................................. 12 97.6 7.8 5.7 5.3 2.1 7.5 5.5 5.2 2.0

Oil and gas extraction ................................... 13 319.5 16.8 9.0 6.1 7.8 16.4 8.8 5.9 7.6

Nonmetallic minerals, except fuels 7 ............. 14 107.4 6.3 3.8 2.9 2.5 6.2 3.8 2.8 2.4

Construction ...................................................... 5,359.7 483.8 220.5 182.3 263.2 476.1 216.8 179.1 259.3

General building contractors ......................... 15 1,256.1 102.8 45.5 37.2 57.3 101.3 44.7 36.5 56.6

Heavy construction, except building .............. 16 770.7 65.5 31.2 24.8 34.3 64.3 30.8 24.4 33.5

Special trade contractors .............................. 17 3,332.9 315.5 143.9 120.4 171.6 310.5 141.4 118.1 169.2

Manufacturing ................................................... 18,460.5 1,952.9 899.6 462.2 1,053.3 1,688.0 782.9 419.5 905.1

Durable goods ................................................. 10,774.4 1,261.6 554.5 292.9 707.1 1,095.3 486.7 265.3 608.6

Lumber and wood products ........................... 24 777.9 107.7 51.2 31.6 56.4 102.6 49.0 30.6 53.6

Furniture and fixtures .................................... 25 503.6 61.4 26.9 13.7 34.5 53.4 23.4 12.1 30.0

Stone, clay, and glass products .................... 32 544.1 68.3 33.3 20.6 35.1 64.2 31.5 19.7 32.6

Primary metal industries ................................ 33 709.6 111.0 50.2 26.9 60.8 101.7 47.0 25.3 54.7

Fabricated metal products ............................. 34 1,447.1 211.6 91.4 51.7 120.3 195.1 84.1 48.3 111.0

Industrial machinery and equipment ............. 35 2,108.4 212.8 86.5 49.0 126.3 195.6 79.8 46.0 115.9

Electronic and other electric equipment ........ 36 1,655.4 112.7 51.6 24.6 61.2 90.1 40.7 20.2 49.3

Transportation equipment ............................. 37 1,785.2 297.4 127.8 57.0 169.7 228.3 102.6 48.1 125.7

Instruments and related products .................. 38 853.3 43.2 19.1 9.5 24.1 33.3 14.4 7.7 18.9

Miscellaneous manufacturing industries ....... 39 389.9 35.5 16.7 8.3 18.8 31.0 14.2 7.3 16.8

Nondurable goods ........................................... 7,686.0 691.3 345.1 169.3 346.2 592.7 296.2 154.3 296.5

Food and kindred products ........................... 20 1,690.0 252.1 133.6 59.2 118.5 205.0 107.4 53.7 97.5

Tobacco products .......................................... 21 40.6 2.6 1.1 .8 1.5 2.5 1.0 .8 1.4

Textile mill products ...................................... 22 627.6 48.1 22.3 9.0 25.8 41.6 20.1 8.3 21.5

Apparel and other textile products ................ 23 866.1 60.1 26.6 14.3 33.6 47.0 20.6 11.7 26.4

Paper and allied products ............................. 26 681.9 55.4 27.0 14.1 28.4 50.3 25.3 13.2 25.0

Printing and publishing .................................. 27 1,533.1 84.4 39.5 25.1 44.9 77.2 36.1 23.5 41.2

Chemicals and allied products ...................... 28 1,029.8 50.3 24.7 11.5 25.7 43.7 22.2 10.6 21.5

Petroleum and coal products ........................ 29 141.3 6.7 3.6 1.7 3.1 6.3 3.5 1.7 2.8

Rubber and miscellaneous plastics 

products .................................................. 30 979.9 121.7 62.6 31.6 59.1 111.3 56.7 29.2 54.6

Leather and leather products ........................ 31 95.7 9.9 4.2 2.2 5.8 7.9 3.3 1.7 4.6

Transportation and public utilities 7,8 ................ 5,989.0 514.4 301.8 224.0 212.6 494.6 293.0 217.3 201.6

Railroad transportation 7 ............................... 40 – 8.8 6.7 5.8 2.1 8.7 6.6 5.8 2.0

Local and interurban passenger transit ......... 41 416.3 32.3 17.1 14.3 15.1 30.6 16.7 13.9 13.9

Trucking and warehousing 8 ......................... 42 1,622.7 170.8 96.5 82.2 74.2 168.2 94.7 80.6 73.5

Water transportation ...................................... 44 176.5 15.1 8.0 7.4 7.1 14.8 7.9 7.3 6.9

Transportation by air 8 ................................... 45 1,119.2 166.9 110.2 73.6 56.7 161.5 107.4 71.5 54.2

Pipelines, except natural gas ........................ 46 14.5 .3 .1 .1 .2 .3 .1 .1 .2

Transportation services 8 .............................. 47 414.7 13.5 6.3 4.3 7.2 13.0 6.0 4.1 7.0

Communications ........................................... 48 1,345.2 45.4 25.0 18.9 20.4 40.0 22.8 17.3 17.2

Electric, gas, and sanitary services ............... 49 878.9 61.2 31.8 17.4 29.5 57.5 30.8 16.7 26.7

See footnotes at end of table.
9

Table 2. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, by industry division, selected industries and case type, 1996 —

Continued

Industry 1 SIC

code 2

1996

Annual

average

employment 3

(000’s)

Injuries and illnesses Injuries

Total

cases

(000’s)

Lost workday cases

Cases

without

lost

workdays

(000’s)

Total

cases

(000’s)

Lost workday cases

Cases

without

lost

workdays

(000’s)

Total 4

(000’s)

With days

away

from

work 5

(000’s)

Total 4

(000’s)

With days

away

from

work 5

(000’s)

Wholesale and retail trade ................................ 28,027.1 1,530.5 657.4 466.8 873.1 1,491.1 637.8 452.3 853.3

Wholesale trade .............................................. 6,471.7 412.9 209.9 144.7 203.1 402.0 203.9 140.6 198.1

Wholesale trade--durable goods ................... 50 3,802.9 228.6 109.7 76.3 118.9 222.0 106.1 73.5 115.9

Wholesale trade--nondurable goods ............. 51 2,668.8 184.3 100.2 68.4 84.2 180.0 97.8 67.1 82.2

Retail trade ...................................................... 21,555.3 1,117.5 447.5 322.1 670.0 1,089.1 433.9 311.7 655.2

Building materials and garden supplies ........ 52 883.9 77.5 36.4 25.3 41.1 76.7 36.1 25.0 40.6

General merchandise stores ......................... 53 2,679.0 193.8 95.9 54.4 97.9 189.9 93.2 52.7 96.6

Food stores ................................................... 54 3,425.6 232.0 95.5 73.7 136.5 223.8 91.1 70.3 132.7

Automotive dealers and service stations ....... 55 2,261.0 145.0 53.0 40.0 92.0 141.1 51.4 38.6 89.6

Apparel and accessory stores ....................... 56 1,113.3 28.6 11.9 7.5 16.7 28.0 11.5 7.3 16.4

Furniture and homefurnishings stores ........... 57 967.8 39.8 18.7 13.8 21.1 38.7 18.2 13.3 20.5

Eating and drinking places ............................ 58 7,516.7 315.1 96.1 78.2 219.1 309.7 94.6 76.9 215.1

Miscellaneous retail ....................................... 59 2,708.0 85.7 40.1 29.0 45.7 81.3 37.7 27.6 43.6

Finance, insurance, and real estate .................. 6,746.2 144.3 55.9 42.8 88.4 128.5 49.5 38.0 79.0

Depository institutions ................................... 60 2,014.9 33.4 11.4 9.0 22.0 28.7 9.2 7.3 19.5

Nondepository institutions ............................. 61 512.2 5.2 2.1 1.6 3.1 4.6 1.8 1.3 2.8

Security and commodity brokers ................... 62 551.5 2.9 1.0 .8 1.8 2.5 .9 .7 1.6

Insurance carriers ......................................... 63 1,376.9 27.0 8.5 6.6 18.5 20.3 6.0 4.8 14.2

Insurance agents, brokers, and service ........ 64 707.0 8.8 2.6 2.1 6.2 7.1 1.9 1.6 5.2

Real estate .................................................... 65 1,372.0 61.8 28.0 21.7 33.8 60.4 27.5 21.3 32.9

Holding and other investment offices ............ 67 211.7 5.2 2.4 1.1 2.9 5.0 2.2 1.0 2.7

Services ............................................................ 31,894.7 1,466.8 626.7 449.1 840.1 1,380.8 597.8 428.1 783.0

Hotels and other lodging places .................... 70 1,699.0 123.4 60.9 37.6 62.5 119.9 59.1 36.4 60.8

Personal services .......................................... 72 1,181.5 34.7 16.8 10.6 17.9 32.4 15.6 9.8 16.8

Business services ......................................... 73 7,336.3 182.2 79.8 59.8 102.4 171.4 75.7 57.2 95.8

Auto repair, services, and parking ................. 75 1,081.0 58.1 25.0 20.8 33.0 56.3 24.6 20.4 31.7

Miscellaneous repair services ....................... 76 374.2 22.0 10.5 8.5 11.5 21.5 10.2 8.2 11.2

Amusement and recreation services ............. 79 1,524.8 94.0 43.4 24.7 50.6 89.9 41.8 24.1 48.1

Health services .............................................. 80 9,439.2 681.7 277.9 201.4 403.8 632.6 264.6 191.4 368.0

Legal services ............................................... 81 930.3 8.9 3.5 3.0 5.4 6.8 2.3 1.9 4.5

Educational services ..................................... 82 1,472.8 36.7 14.5 11.3 22.2 34.9 14.0 11.0 20.9

Social services .............................................. 83 2,347.3 131.6 57.8 44.8 73.8 128.4 55.9 43.1 72.5

Membership organizations ............................ 86 975.4 23.2 8.8 7.7 14.4 21.8 8.2 7.0 13.6

Engineering and management services ........ 87 2,865.5 53.2 22.1 15.0 31.1 48.6 20.5 14.0 28.1

1 Totals include data for industries not shown separately. 2 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition. 3 Employment is expressed as an annual average and is derived primarily

from the BLS-State Covered Employment and Wages program. Employment

for private households (SIC 88) is excluded. 4 Total lost workday cases involve days away from work, or days of

restricted work activity, or both. 5 Days-away-from-work cases include those which result in days away from

work with or without restricted work activity. 6 Excludes farms with fewer than 11 employees. 7 Data conforming to OSHA definitions for mining operators in coal, metal,

and nonmetal mining and for employers in railroad transportation are provided

to BLS by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of

Labor; and the Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of

Transportation. Independent mining contractors are excluded from the coal,

metal, and nonmetal mining industries. 8 In 1996, air courier operations previously classified in Industry Groups

421, 422, 423, 452, 473, and 478 were reclassified to Industry Group 451. As

a result, the 1996 estimates for these SIC’s and Major Industry Groups 42, 45,

and 47 are not comparable to those for prior years. In addition, the 1996

estimates for transportation and public utilities may have more variability than

those for prior years.

 NOTE: Because of rounding, components may not add to totals. – Data not available. 

 SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
10

Table 3. Incidence rates1 of nonfatal injuries by industry division and employment size, 1996

Industry division

All

establishments

Establishment employment size (workers)

1

to

10

11

to

49

50

to

249

250

to

999

1,000

or

more

Private industry 2 .................................................. 6.9 2.7 5.9 8.9 8.1 7.2

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2 ..................... 8.4 6.7 7.8 10.8 7.3 5.7

Mining 3 ............................................................. 5.3 3.4 5.6 6.3 5.0 3.8

Construction ...................................................... 9.7 6.0 11.3 11.8 8.0 3.1

Manufacturing ................................................... 9.2 4.0 9.0 11.0 8.6 8.2

Durable goods ................................................. 10.1 5.0 10.5 12.2 9.3 8.9

Nondurable goods ........................................... 7.9 2.3 6.6 9.4 7.8 6.7

Transportation and public utilities 3,4 ................ 8.4 2.6 8.4 9.5 8.8 9.1

Wholesale and retail trade ................................ 6.6 2.5 5.8 8.8 9.9 7.4

Wholesale trade .............................................. 6.5 2.7 5.9 8.7 8.6 6.1

Retail trade ...................................................... 6.7 2.5 5.8 8.9 10.3 7.7

Finance, insurance, and real estate .................. 2.1 1.8 2.1 2.7 2.2 1.4

Services ............................................................ 5.7 1.6 3.2 7.8 7.8 7.2

1 The incidence rates represent the number of injuries per 100 full-time

workers and were calculated as: (N/EH) x 200,000, where 

 

N =number of injuries 

EH =total hours worked by all employees during 

 the calendar year 

200,000 =base for 100 equivalent full-time workers 

 (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year).

2 Excludes farms with fewer than 11 employees. 3 Data conforming to OSHA definitions for mining operators in coal, metal,

and nonmetal mining and for employers in railroad transportation are provided

to BLS by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of

Labor; and the Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of

Transportation. Independent mining contractors are excluded from the coal,

metal, and nonmetal mining industries. 4 In 1996, air courier operations previously classified in Industry Groups

421, 422, 423, 452, 473, and 478 were reclassified to Industry Group 451. As

a result, the 1996 estimates for these SIC’s and Major Industry Groups 42, 45,

and 47 are not comparable to those for prior years. In addition, the 1996

estimates for transportation and public utilities may have more variability than

those for prior years.

 SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
11

Table 4. Nonfatal occupational injuries: number of cases and incidence rates, per 100 full-time workers,1 for industries with

100,000 or more injury cases, 1996

Industry 2 SIC

code 3

Total

cases

(000’s)

Incidence

rate

Eating and drinking places ..................................................... 581 309.7 6.1

Hospitals ................................................................................. 806 300.2 10.0

Nursing and personal care facilities ........................................ 805 221.9 16.2

Grocery stores ........................................................................ 541 211.6 9.7

Department stores .................................................................. 531 172.8 9.8

Trucking and courier services, except air 4 ............................ 421 153.3 10.2

Motor vehicles and equipment ................................................ 371 148.9 14.9

Air transportation, scheduled 4 ............................................... 451 148.4 18.6

Hotels and motels ................................................................... 701 118.3 8.9

1 The incidence rates represent the number of injuries per 100 full-time

workers and were calculated as: (N/EH) x 200,000, where 

 

N =number of injuries 

EH =total hours worked by all employees during 

 the calendar year 

200,000 =base for 100 equivalent full-time workers 

 (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year).

2 Industries with 100,000 or more cases were determined by analysis

of the number of cases at the 3-digit SIC code level. 3 Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition. 4 In 1996, air courier operations previously classified in Industry Groups

421, 422, 423, 452, 473, and 478 were reclassified to Industry Group 451. 

As a result, the 1996 estimates for these SIC’s and Major Industry Groups

42, 45, and 47 are not comparable to those for prior years.

 SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
12

Table 5. Number of nonfatal occupational illnesses, by industry division and case type, 1996

Industry division

Total

cases

(000’s)

Lost workday cases Cases

without

lost

workdays

(000’s)

Disorders

associated

with

repeated

trauma

(000’s)

Total 1

(000’s)

With days

away from

work 2

(000’s)

Private industry 3 .................................................. 439.0 186.2 94.7 252.8 281.1

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3 ..................... 4.6 1.7 1.3 3.0 .9

Mining 4 ............................................................. .9 .4 .4 .5 .5

Construction ...................................................... 7.6 3.7 3.3 3.9 2.6

Manufacturing ................................................... 264.9 116.7 42.7 148.2 203.0

Durable goods ................................................. 166.3 67.8 27.6 98.5 124.4

Nondurable goods ........................................... 98.6 48.9 15.1 49.7 78.7

Transportation and public utilities 4,5 ................ 19.7 8.8 6.8 11.0 10.8

Wholesale and retail trade ................................ 39.4 19.6 14.5 19.8 22.8

Wholesale trade .............................................. 10.9 6.0 4.1 4.9 6.6

Retail trade ...................................................... 28.5 13.6 10.3 14.8 16.2

Finance, insurance, and real estate .................. 15.8 6.3 4.8 9.5 12.4

Services ............................................................ 86.0 28.9 21.0 57.1 28.2

1 Total lost workday cases involve days away from work, or days of

restricted work activity, or both. 2 Days-away-from-work cases include those which result in days away from

work with or without restricted work activity. 3 Excludes farms with fewer than 11 employees. 4 Data conforming to OSHA definitions for mining operators in coal, metal,

and nonmetal mining and for employers in railroad transportation are provided

to BLS by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of

Labor; and the Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of

Transportation. Independent mining contractors are excluded from the coal,

metal, and nonmetal mining industries.

5 In 1996, air courier operations previously classified in Industry Groups

421, 422, 423, 452, 473, and 478 were reclassified to Industry Group 451. As

a result, the 1996 estimates for these SIC’s and Major Industry Groups 42, 45,

and 47 are not comparable to those for prior years. In addition, the 1996

estimates for transportation and public utilities may have more variability than

those for prior years.

 NOTE: Because of rounding, components may not add to totals.

 SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
13

Table 6. Occupational injury and illness incidence rates per 100 full-time workers,1 1973-962

Year

Injuries and illnesses Injuries

Total

cases

Lost workday cases

Cases

without lost

workdays

Total

cases

Lost workday cases

Cases

without lost

Total 3 workdays

With

days away

from work 4

Total 3

With

days away

from work 4

1973 .......................... 11.0 3.4 – 7.5 10.6 3.3 – 7.3

1974 .......................... 10.4 3.5 – 6.9 10.0 3.4 – 6.6

1975 .......................... 9.1 3.3 3.2 5.8 8.8 3.2 3.1 5.6

1976 .......................... 9.2 3.5 3.3 5.7 8.9 3.4 3.2 5.5

1977 .......................... 9.3 3.8 3.6 5.5 9.0 3.7 3.5 5.3

1978 5 ....................... 9.4 4.1 3.8 5.3 9.2 4.0 3.7 5.2

1979 5 ....................... 9.5 4.3 4.0 5.2 9.2 4.2 3.9 5.0

1980 .......................... 8.7 4.0 3.7 4.7 8.5 3.9 3.6 4.6

1981 .......................... 8.3 3.8 3.5 4.5 8.1 3.7 3.4 4.4

1982 .......................... 7.7 3.5 3.2 4.2 7.6 3.4 3.2 4.1

1983 5 ....................... 7.6 3.4 3.2 4.2 7.5 3.4 3.1 4.1

1984 5 ....................... 8.0 3.7 3.4 4.3 7.8 3.6 3.3 4.2

1985 .......................... 7.9 3.6 3.3 4.3 7.7 3.6 3.3 4.2

1986 .......................... 7.9 3.6 3.3 4.3 7.7 3.6 3.3 4.2

1987 .......................... 8.3 3.8 3.4 4.4 8.0 3.7 3.3 4.3

1988 .......................... 8.6 4.0 3.5 4.6 8.3 3.8 3.4 4.4

1989 .......................... 8.6 4.0 3.4 4.6 8.2 3.9 3.3 4.4

1990 .......................... 8.8 4.1 3.4 4.7 8.3 3.9 3.3 4.5

1991 .......................... 8.4 3.9 3.2 4.5 7.9 3.7 3.1 4.2

1992 6 ....................... 8.9 3.9 3.0 5.0 8.3 3.6 2.9 4.7

1993 6 ....................... 8.5 3.8 2.9 4.8 7.9 3.5 2.7 4.4

1994 6 ....................... 8.4 3.8 2.8 4.6 7.7 3.5 2.6 4.2

1995 6 ....................... 8.1 3.6 2.5 4.4 7.5 3.4 2.4 4.1

1996 6 ....................... 7.4 3.4 2.2 4.1 6.9 3.1 2.1 3.8

1 The incidence rates represent the number of injuries and

illnesses per 100 full-time workers and were calculated as: 

(N/EH) x 200,000, where 

N =number of injuries and illnesses 

EH =total hours worked by all employees during 

 the calendar year 

200,000 =base for 100 equivalent full-time workers 

 (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks 

 per year). 

2 Data for 1973-1975 are based on the Standard Industrial

Classification Manual, 1967 Edition; data for 1976-1987 are based

on the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1972 Edition; and

data for 1988-1996 are based on the Standard Industrial

Classification Manual, 1987 Edition.

3 Total lost workday cases involve days away from work, or days

of restricted work activity, or both. 4 Days-away-from-work cases include those which result in days

away from work with or without restricted work activity. 5 To maintain historical comparability with the rest of the series,

data for small nonfarm employers in low-risk industries who were not

surveyed were imputed and included in the survey estimates. 6 Data exclude fatal work-related injuries and illnesses.

 NOTE: Because of rounding, components may not add to the

totals. Data for 1976-1996 exclude farms with fewer than 11

employees. 

 – Data not available. 

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
Table 7. Incidence rates1 of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, by industry division, 1993-96

Industry division

Total cases

Lost workday cases

Total 2 With days away from work 3

1993 1994 1995 1996 1993 1994 1995 1996 1993 1994 1995 1996 

Private industry 4 .................................... 8.5 8.4 8.1 7.4 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.4 2.9 2.8 2.5 2.2  Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4 ...... 11.2 10.0 9.7 8.7 5.0 4.7 4.3 3.9 4.2 3.9 3.4 3.0 

 Mining 5 .............................................. 6.8 6.3 6.2 5.4 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.3 2.5 

 Construction ....................................... 12.2 11.8 10.6 9.9 5.5 5.5 4.9 4.5 4.9 4.9 4.2 3.7  Manufacturing ..................................... 12.1 12.2 11.6 10.6 5.3 5.5 5.3 4.9 3.3 3.2 2.9 2.5  Durable goods .................................. 13.1 13.5 12.8 11.6 5.4 5.7 5.6 5.1 3.5 3.5 3.1 2.7  Nondurable goods ............................ 10.7 10.5 9.9 9.2 5.0 5.1 4.9 4.6 3.0 2.8 2.5 2.3  Transportation and public utilities 5,6 .. 9.5 9.3 9.1 8.7 5.4 5.5 5.2 5.1 4.3 4.2 3.9 3.8 

 Wholesale and retail trade .................. 8.1 7.9 7.5 6.8 3.4 3.4 3.2 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.4 2.1  Wholesale trade ................................ 7.8 7.7 7.5 6.6 3.7 3.8 3.6 3.4 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.3  Retail trade ....................................... 8.2 7.9 7.5 6.9 3.3 3.3 3.0 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.3 2.0  Finance, insurance, and real estate ... 2.9 2.7 2.6 2.4 1.2 1.1 1.0 .9 1.0 .9 .8 .7  Services .............................................. 6.7 6.5 6.4 6.0 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.3 2.2 2.0 1.8 

1 The incidence rates represent the number of injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time

workers and were calculated as: (N/EH) x 200,000, where 

N =number of injuries and illnesses EH =total hours worked by all employees during the calendar year 200,000 =base for 100 equivalent full-time workers (working 40 hours per week,  50 weeks per year). 

2 Total lost workday cases involve days away from work, or days of restricted

activity, or both. 3 Days-away-from-work cases include those which result in days away from workwith or without restricted work activity. 4 Excludes farms with fewer than 11 employees. 5 Data conforming to OSHA definitions for mining operators in coal, metal, andnonmetal mining and for employers in railroad transportation are provided to BLS by the

Mine Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DepartmRailroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transpcontractors are excluded from the coal, metal, and nonm

6 In 1996, air courier operations previously classifie

423, 452, 473, and 478 were reclassified to Industry Gestimates for these SIC’s and Major Industry Groups 42to those for prior years. In addition, the 1996 estimautilities may have more variability than those for prior ye NOTE: Because of rounding, components may not a SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Departmen