Number of Injuries and Illnesses Involving Time

 Away from Work, 1992-2000

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Injuries and Illnesses (thousands)

Private industry

Service producing

Goods producing

The number of injuries and illnesses resulting in time away from work declined from 1998

after staying about the same in 1999.

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

1

2

3

4

5

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers

Lost workday cases

Cases with days away from work

Cases with days of restricted 

work activity only

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

workers in 1990 to 3.0 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2000. Rates for the two types of lost

workday cases moved in opposite directions during that period.

Lost workday case incidence rates, injuries and illnesses,

private industry, 1981-2000

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
Hours Worked and Nonfatal Injury and Illness

 by Gender of Worker, 2000

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 = 1,664,018 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.

41%

59%
3.3%

11.2%

25.9%

28.9%

19.6%

8.6%

1.5%

16 - 19

20 - 24 

25 - 34

35 - 44 

45 - 54

55 - 64 

65+

4.2%

10.6%

24.8%

28.5%

9.0%

1.8%

21.1%

Hours Worked and Nonfatal Injury and Illness

 by Age of Worker, 2000

Injuries and Illnesses with

days away from work

(Total = 1,664,018 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 higher, while workers 45 and older

had a lower incidence of injuries or illnesses than each of their hours worked shares suggest.

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

fabricators,

and laborers

41.1%

Service

16.7%

Precision

production,

craft and

repair 18.0%

Technical, sales,

and administrative

support 15.3%

Managerial and

professional 6.0%

Farming, forestry,

and fishing 2.5%

Nonclassified, less than 1%

Managerial

and 

professional

26.9%

Technical, sales,

and administrative

support 30.9%

Farming,

forestry, and

fishing 2.3%

Precision

production,

craft and

repair

11.7%

Service

12.3%

Operators,

fabricators,

and laborers

16.0%

Operators, fabricators, and laborers accounted for 4 out of every 10 injuries and illnesses, well above their

employment share of 16%.

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

Injuries and Illnesses

Employment

(Total =1,664,018 injuries and illnesses)

(Current Population Survey,

Private Wage and Salary Workers)

Employment and Nonfatal Injury and Illness

 by Occupation, 2000
Occupations with the Most Injuries and Illnesses

with days away from work, 2000

24.5

26.9

27.8

38.3

38.9

40.7

45.4

74.2

87.0

136.1

0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000

Registered nurses

Cashiers

Cooks

Carpenters

Assemblers

Janitors and cleaners

Construction laborers

Nursing aides, orderlies

Laborers, nonconstruction

Truck drivers

Injuries and Illnesses (thousands)

(1,664,018 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

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

laborers,nonconstruction and by nursing aides, orderlies.

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

Away from Work for Selected Occupations, 1992-2000

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Truck drivers Laborers,

nonconstruction

Nursing aides,

orderlies

Construction

laborers

Janitors,

cleaners

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

In 1992 laborers, nonconstruction suffered more injuries than any other occupations;

however from 1993 to 2000 truck drivers suffered the most injuries involving time away from work.

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

Injuries and Illnesses (thousands)
Percentages of Employment and Nonfatal Injuries and Illnesses

for Occupations with the Most Injuries and Illnesses, 2000

Truck drivers, nonconstruction laborers, nursing aides and orderlies, construction laborers,

janitors and cleaners, assemblers, and carpenters experienced a higher percentage of injuries

and illnesses than their employment share. Cooks, cashiers and registered nurses 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

9

Truck drivers

Laborers,

nonconstruction

Nursing aides,

orderlies

Construction

laborers

Janitors and

cleaners

Assemblers

Carpenters

Cooks

Cashiers

Registered

nurses

Percentage of injuries and illnesses

Percentage of employment (CPS)

Percent
Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

by Length of Service, 2000

Less than 3 months

13.0%

3 to 11 months

18.5%

1 to 5 years

31.5%

More than 5 years

24.3%

Not reported

12.6%

Length of Service

(1,664,018 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

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.
sprains

Nurse

her back

lifting patient

while

her

Nature of

disabling

condition

Event

or

exposure

Part of body

affected

Source

directly

producing

disability

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.
The Nature of the Disabling Condition,

Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away from Work, 2000

Sprains, strains 43.8%

728,202 cases

Other 15.8%

Bruises, contusions 9.1%

Cuts, lacerations,

punctures 8.5%

Soreness, pain 7.1%

Fractures 7.0%

Multiple injuries 3.6%

Carpal tunnel syndrome 1.7%

Heat burns 1.5%

Tendonitis 0.9%

Amputations 0.6%

Chemical burns 0.6%

Nature of Injury or Illness

(1,664,018 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

Sprains and strains accounted for over 728,000 or nearly 44 percent

of all nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses.

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

Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away from Work, 2000

24.7

23.0

20.9

12.4

8.7

3.4 3.2

1.7 1.3 0.6

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

Back Upper

extremities

Lower

extremities

Trunk,

except

back

Multiple

body

parts

Head,

except

eye

Eye Neck Body

systems

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.
Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

by Source of Injury or Illness, 2000

Source of Injury or Illness

(1,664,018 injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work)

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

days away from work: floor, ground surfaces 16.7%; worker motion or position 15.5%; containers 14.4%;

and parts and materials 11.0%.

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

Chemicals, chemical

products 1.5%

Containers 14.4%

Furniture, fixtures 3.4%

Machinery 6.7%

Parts and materials 11.0%

Worker motion

or position15.5%

Floor, ground surfaces 16.7%

Handtools 4.5%

Health care Vehicles 8.3%

patient 4.5%

Other 13.4%
43.7

26.7

18.3

4.4 4.2

1.4 0.2 1.2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Bodily

reaction

and

exertion

Contact with

objects and

equipment

Falls Transportation

accidents

Exposure

to harmful

substances

Assaults

and

violent

acts

Fires

and

explosions

Other

The Manner in Which the Disabling Condition Occurred,

Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away from Work, 2000

Bodily reaction and exertion, contact with objects and equipment, and falls

accounted 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.

Percent
Percent Change in Incidence Rate

by Selected Events and Exposures, 1992-2000

The incidence rate for all events and exposures improved by over 40% between 1992 and 2000. The chart

shows six events improved more than the average and eight events improved less than the average.

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

0 -10 -20 -30 -40 -50

Transportation accidents

Assault, violent acts by person

Fall on same level

Fall to lower level

Assault, violent acts

Repetitive motion

Struck by object

Caught in object, equipment,

All events and exposures

Contact with object, equipment

Overexertion

Slips, trips

Overexertion in lifting

Struck against object

Exposed to harmful substance

All events and exposures -40.6 %

Below average

improvement

Above average

improvement

Percent
2

3

4

5

7

8

10

11

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

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 of

worker

Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal Occupational

Injury and Illness by Age of Worker, 2000

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.

All ages

6 days
6

7

7

7

7

7

8

8

8

8

9

9

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

All occupations

Industrial machinery repairers

Driver-sales workers

Farm workers

Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations

Cashiers

Public transportation attendants

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

Carpenters

Construction laborers

Electricians

Truck drivers

Occupations with the Highest Median Days Away from Work, 2000

Of the occupations with at least 1/2% of the total days away from work cases, truck drivers and electricians had

a median of 9 days compared to a median of 6 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
Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal Occupational

Injury or Illness by Nature, 2000

2

3

3

4

6

8

10

18

20

27

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Chemical burns

Cuts, lacerations

Bruises, contusions

Heat burns

Sprains, strains, tears

Multiple injuries

Tendonitis

Amputations

Fractures

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Median days away from work

All natures

6 days

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.
Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal Occupational

Injury or Illness by Event or Exposure, 2000

Repetitive motion, with a median of 19 days, resulted in the longest absences from work among the leading

events and exposures. Falls to a lower level, transportation accidents, and fires and explosions also had

medians well above the national median.

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

3

4

4

5

6

6

7

7

7

9

10

11

19

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Exposure to harmful substances

Struck by object

Struck against object

Assaults and violent acts by person

Caught in equipment

Overexertion in lifting

Fall to same level

Slips, trips, loss of balance - without fall

Overexertion

Fires and explosions

Transportation accidents

Fall to lower level

Repetitive motion

Median days away from work

All events

6 days
Median Days Away from Work Due to Nonfatal Occupational

Injury or Illness by Part of Body, 2000

Median days away from work

All parts of body

6 days

Injuries and illnesses to the abdomen (17 days) and to the wrist (12 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.

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

5

6

6

8

10

10

10

12

17

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Eye

Head, except eye

Body systems

Hand, except finger

Finger

Neck

Foot, except toe

Toe

Arm

Back

Multiple parts

Leg

Shoulder

Knee

Wrist

Abdomen
Musculoskeletal Disorders with Days Away from Work

by Nature of Injury or Illness, 2000

Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for over 76% of the musculoskeletal disorders that resulted

in days away from work in 2000.

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

Nature of Injury or Illness

(577,814 MSD cases that resulted in days away from work)

Sprains, strains, tears 76.6%

Carpal tunnel syndrome 4.8%

MSD system and connective tissue

disorders, except tendonitis 1.9%

Tendonitis 2.2%

Soreness, pain, except back 4.4%

 Back pain, hurt back 5.5%

Hernia 4.7%
Comparison of Total Injury and Illness Cases Involving Days Away from Work

to MSD Cases Involving Days Away from Work, 1992-2000

Injuries and Illnesses

(thousands)

Total DAFW cases

MSDs

Percentage of Total Cases that are MSD cases

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

has remained constant since 1992.

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

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

33.6% 33.9% 33.8% 34.1% 34.4% 34.2% 34.2% 34.2% 34.7%