Page 1

Occupations with the Most Injuries and Illnesseswith Days Away from Work, 2002

Injuries and Illnesses (thousands)(1,436,194 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

Truck drivers suffered the most injuries and illnesses with days away from work, followed bynursing aides, orderlies and by laborers, nonconstruction.

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

Sales workers, other commodities

Cooks

Supervisors and proprietors, sales

Assemblers

Carpenters

Janitors and cleaners

Construction laborers

Laborers, nonconstruction

Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants

Truck drivers

24.7

24.7

26.1

28.3

34.4

41.9

42.0

76.6

79.0

112.2

0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000

Page 2

Percentages of Employment and Nonfatal Injuries and Illnessesfor Occupations with the Most Injuries and Illnesses, 2002

Truck drivers, nursing aides and orderlies, nonconstruction laborers, janitors and cleaners, construction laborers, assemblers, carpenters and other commodities sales workers experienced a higher percentage of injuries and illnesses than their employment share. Sales supervisors and proprietors and cooks experienced a 

lower percentage of injuries and illnesses than their employment share.

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

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9Percent

Percentage of injuries and illnessesPercentage of employment (CPS)

Truck

 driv

ers

Nursin

g aid

es,

orde

rlies

Nonco

nstru

ction

labo

rers

Janit

ors a

nd

clean

ers

Constr

uctio

n

labor

ers

Assem

blers

Carpe

nter

sSup

ervis

ors a

nd

prop

rieto

rs, s

ales

Cooks

Sales w

orke

rs,

othe

r com

mod

ities

Page 3

Occupations with the Highest Median Days Away from Work, 2002

Of the occupations with at least 1/2% of the total days away from work cases, truck drivers had a median of 13 days.  Electricians; plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters; industrial machinery repairers; and industrial truck and tractor 

equipment operators had a median of 10 days.  This compared to a median of 7 days for all occupations.

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

Median days away from work

7

8

8

8

8

9

9

9

10

10

10

10

13

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

All occupations

Stock and inventory clerks

Assemblers

Carpenters

Industrial truck and tractor equipment operators

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Truck drivers

Heating, air conditioning, refrigeration mechanics

Driver-sales workers

Bus, truck, and stationary engine mechanics

Construction laborers

Industrial machinery repairers

Electricians

Page 4

Injuries and Illnesses with days away from work

(Total = 1,436,194 injuries and illnesses)

Serviceproducingindustries

Goodsproducingindustries

Employment(Current Employment Statistics, 

Total private industry) 

Good-producing industries make up about 20 percent of private industry employment but account for one-third of the injuries and illnesses with days away from work while service producing industries make up about 80 percent of the 

employment and two-thirds of the injuries and illnesses.

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

Employment and Nonfatal Injury and Illnessby Major Industry, 2002

33.9%

66.1% 79.3%

20.7%

Serviceproducingindustries

Goodsproducingindustries

Page 5

Hours Worked and Nonfatal Injury and Illnessby Gender of Worker, 2002

Almost two-thirds of the injured or ill workers were men, well above their 59 percent share of the nation’s hours worked.

Men

Women

Injuries and Illnesses with days away from work

(Total = 1,436,194 injuries and illnesses)

Chart excludes unreported data.

Women

Men

Hours worked

(Current Population Survey, 

Private Wage and Salary Workers)

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

64.8%

34.9%

58.8%

41.2%

Page 6

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

Hours Worked and Nonfatal Injury and Illnessby Age of Worker, 2002

Injuries and Illnesses with days away from work

(Total = 1,436,194 injuries and illnesses)Chart excludes unreported data.

Hours worked

(Current Population Survey, Private Wage and Salary Workers) 

A majority of injured or ill workers were 20 to 44 years old.  Workers 20 to 44 had a slightly higher share of injuries and illnesses, while workers 45 and older had a somewhat lower share, than each of their hours worked shares suggest.

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

2.7%11.1%

25.1%

28.0%

10.0%

1.8%

21.3%

27.1%

22.3%

3.5%10.3%

24.3%

10.4%

2.1%

Page 7

14 to 15

16 to 19

20 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

65 and over

Age ofworker

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal OccupationalInjury and Illness by Age of Worker, 2002

Median days away from work

Except for workers 14 to 15, 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.

All ages7 days

7

4

5

6

8

10

12

12

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Page 8

Less than 1 year32.5%

1 to 5 years37.2%

More than 5 years29.4%

Not reported0.9%

Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnessesby Length of Service, 2002

Workers who were with their employers for more than 5 years became injured or ill less often thantheir employment share suggests.

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

Injuries and Illnesses Employment

(Total =1,436,194 injuries and illnesses) (Current Population Survey, Private Wage and Salary Workers

January 2002) 

Less than 1 year26.4%

1 to 5 years39.2%

More than 5 years34.4%

Page 9

Operators, fabricators, and laborers38.5%

Service 18.8%

Precision production, craft and repair 16.9%

Technical, sales, and administrative support 16.7%

Managerial and professional 6.5%

Farming, forestry,and fishing 2.5%

Nonclassified, less than .5%

Managerialand professional28.0%

Technical, sales, and administrative support 30.4%

Farming, forestry, and fishing 1.9%

Precision production, craft and repair 11.4%

Service13.0%

Operators, fabricators, and laborers    15.2%

Operators, fabricators, and laborers accounted for almost 4 out of every 10 injuries and illnesses, well above their employment share of 15%.

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

Injuries and IllnessesEmployment

(Total =1,436,194 injuries and illnesses)(Current Population Survey, 

Private Wage and Salary Workers) 

Employment and Nonfatal Injury and Illnessby Occupation, 2002

Page 10

sprains

Nurse

her back

lifting patient

while

her

Nature ofdisablingcondition

Eventor

exposure

Part of bodyaffected

Sourcedirectly

producingdisability

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.

Page 11

Incidence rates of occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from workdue to overexertion and contact with objects/equipment, 2002

ServiceProducingindustries

GoodsProducingindustries

59.5

97.0

84.0

63.1

43.1

41.2

10.6

40.6

52.3

74.2

57.2

53.6

33.3

43.1

57.3

24.2

47.3

43.5

9.3

42.9

0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0

Services

Finance, insurance,and real estate

Retail trade

Wholesale trade

Transportation andpublic utilities

Manufacturing

Construction

Mining

Agriculture, forestry,and fishing

Private industry

Incidence rates 10,000 full-time workers

OverexertionContact with objects/equipment

Even though both had the same incidence rate of 43.1, contacts with objects and equipment was the most prevalent event in goods-producing industries while in service-producing industries overexertion was the most prevalent event.

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

Page 12

The Nature of the Disabling Condition,Occupational Injuries and Illnesses with Days Away from Work, 2002

Nature of Injury or Illness(1,436,194 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

Sprains and strains accounted for almost 620,000 cases or 43 percentof all nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses.

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

Sprains, strains, tears43.0%

Other16.9%

Cuts, lacerations7.7% 

Bruises, contusions8.8%

Soreness, pain,except back 4.9%

Fractures6.9%

Multiple traumaticInjuries 3.7%

Carpal tunnelsyndrome 1.6%

Heat burns1.5%

Back pain,hurt back 3.2% Tendonitis 0.6%

Amputations 0.6%

Chemical burns 0.6%

Page 13

The Part of Body Affected,Occupational Injuries and Illnesses with Days Away from Work, 2002

24.022.9

21.2

12.3

9.7

3.3 2.91.6 1.4

0.6

Back Upperextrem-

ities

Lowerextrem-

ities

Trunk,exceptback

Multiplebodyparts

Head,except

eye

Eye Neck Bodysystems

Other

Percent

The back was involved in 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.

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

Page 14

Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnessesby Source of Injury or Illness, 2002

Source of Injury or Illness(1,436,194 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

Four sources accounted for over half of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses that resulted indays away from work: floor, ground surfaces 17.8%; worker motion or position 15.4%; containers 13.4%;

and parts and materials 10.3%.

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

Other13.8%

Containers13.4%

Parts andmaterials 10.3%

Handtools4.6%

Furniture,fixtures 3.6%

Chemicals,chemical products 1.4% 

Floor, groundsurfaces 17.8%

Worker motion orposition 15.4%

Vehicles 8.3%

Health carepatient 4.9% 

Machinery 6.4%

Page 15

Bodilyreaction

andexertion

Assaultsand

violentacts

The Manner in Which the Disabling Condition Occurred,Occupational Injuries and Illnesses with Days Away from Work, 2002

Bodily reaction and exertion, contact with objects and equipment, and fallsaccounted for almost 90% 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.

43.0

26.5

19.0

4.4 4.21.7

0.2 1.0

Contact withobjects andequipment

Falls Transportationaccidents

Exposureto harmful

substances

Firesand

explosions

Other

Percent

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Page 16

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal OccupationalInjury or Illness by Nature, 2002

Median days away from work

All natures7 days

Carpal tunnel syndrome had a median of 30 days away from work, followed byfractures with 29 days and amputations with 26 days.

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

2

3

4

4

7

9

15

26

29

30

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Chemical burns

Cuts, lacerations

Bruises, contusions

Heat burns

Sprains, strains, tears

Multiple traumatic injuries

Tendonitis

Amputations

Fractures

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Page 17

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal OccupationalInjury or Illness by Part of Body, 2002

Median days away from work

All parts of body7 days

Injuries and illnesses to the wrist (15 days), shoulder (15 days), and to the knee (14 days) took the longest median time from which to recover.

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

Eye  

Hand, except finger  

Foot, except toe  

Toe  

Back  

Lower extremities  

Knee  

Wrist  

2

2

4

5

5

6

7

7

7

7

8

9

10

14

15

15

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Head  

Body systems  

Finger  

Neck  

Upper extremities  

Trunk  

Multiple parts  

Shoulder  

Page 18

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal OccupationalInjury or Illness by Event or Exposure, 2002

Repetitive motion, with a median of 23 days, resulted in the longest absences from work among the leadingevents and exposures.  Falls to a lower level, fires and explosions, transportation accidents, falls on same level, 

overexertion in lifting, and overexertion also had medians above the national median.

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

Struck by object

Assaults and violent acts by person

Overexertion in lifting

Slips, trips, loss of balance - without fall

Transportation accidents

Fall to lower level

Median days away from work

All events7 days

3

5

5

5

7

7

8

9

12

12

14

23

0 5 10 15 20 25

Exposure to harmful substances

Struck against object

Caught in equipment or object

Fall to same level

Fires and explosions

Repetitive motion

Page 19

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal OccupationalInjury or Illness by Source, 2002

3

5

5

6

7

7

7

10

10

11

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Chemicals and chemical products

Furniture and fixtures

Tools, instruments, and equipment

Health care patient

Containers

Machinery

Parts and materials

Floors, walkways, ground surfaces

Vehicles

Worker motion or position

Median days away from work

All sources7 days

Of the source of the injury or illness, worker motion or position, vehicles, andfloors, walkways, ground surfaces had the  longest absences from work.

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

Page 20

Musculoskeletal Disorders with Days Away from Workby Nature of Injury or Illness, 2002

Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for over three-fourths of the musculoskeletal disorders that resultedin days away from work in 2002.

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

Nature of Injury or Illness(487,915 MSD cases that resulted in days away from work)

Sprains, strains, tears 75.8%

Carpal tunnel syndrome 4.6%MSD system and connective tissuedisorders, except tendonitis 1.8%

Tendonitis 1.7%

Soreness, pain, except back 5.3%

Back pain, hurt back 6.3%

Hernia 4.5%