2015 SURVEY OF OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES & ILLNESSES

SUMMARY ESTIMATES CHARTS PACKAGE

October 27, 2016
Incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

Year

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates

by case type, private industry, 2003-2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

TRC = total recordable cases

DART = days away from work, job transfer, or restriction cases

DAFW = days away from work cases

DJTR = days of job transfer or restriction only cases

ORC = other recordable cases

5.0

4.8

4.6

4.4

4.2

3.9

3.6 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.2

2.6 3.0 2.5 2.4 2.3

2.1 2.0

1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9

1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7

2.4 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.1

1.9 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4

1

The total recordable cases (TRC) incidence rate among private industry employers declined to 3.0 cases per 100 

full-time workers in 2015—down from 3.2 cases in 2014. Incidence rates for days away from work, job transfer, or 

restriction (DART) cases, days away from work (DAFW) cases, and other recordable cases (ORC) all declined from 

2014, while the rate for days of job transfer or restriction only (DJTR) cases has remained unchanged since 2011.

Chart 1 data
Total recordable nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates

by employment size, private industry, 2011-2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

3.8

3.7

3.6

3.5

3.3

1.8

1.6

1.7

1.5

1.4

3.2

3.1 3.1

2.9

2.8

3.7

3.6

3.5

3.3 3.3

4.2 4.2

4.0

3.9

3.7

Incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

1-10 employees 11-49 employees 50-249 employees 250-999 employees 1,000+ employees

Employment Size

2

Mid-size establishments (those employing between 50 and 249 workers) reported the highest incidence rate among 

all establishment sizes in 2015, while small establishments (those employing fewer than 11 workers) experienced 

the lowest rate of injury or illness cases. The incidence rate of total recordable cases declined in 2015 (compared 

to 2014) both among establishments with 50-249 employees and among those with more than 1,000 employees. 

Chart 2 data
Distribution of nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases

by category of illness, private industry, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016 Percent

0

25

50

75

100

Injuries and illnesses Illnesses

Injuries 95.2%

Illnesses 4.8%

Other illnesses 62.6%

Skin diseases 15.6%

Hearing loss 12.0%

Respiratory conditions 8.6%

Poisoning 1.2%

Total cases:

2,905,900

3

Nonfatal occupational injuries accounted for the majority (95.2 percent) of cases reported by private industry employers 

in 2015, with illnesses accounting for the remaining 4.8 percent of cases. Employers recorded most illness cases (62.6 

percent) as “Other illnesses,” which includes such things as musculoskeletal disorders and systemic diseases and 

disorders, among others. Long-term latent illnesses that are difficult for employers to relate to the workplace are not 

adequately recognized and reported during a calendar year and are believed to be understated in SOII illness measures.

Chart 3 data
Distribution of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses by private industry sector, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Utilities

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Management of companies and enterprises

Finance and insurance

Information

Educational services

Real estate and rental and leasing

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Professional and technical services

Other services (except public administration)

Administrative and waste services

Wholesale trade

Transportation and warehousing

Construction

Accommodation and food services

Retail trade

Manufacturing

Health care and social assistance

0 125 250 375 500 625

562.3 36.0

425.7 40.8

399.6 10.8

269.7 7.7

199.6 5.1

194.2 7.4

170.2 4.5

117.1 6.9

70.0 2.2

64.9 4.0

53.0 3.1

52.6 2.7

48.6 1.3

37.3 | 1.2

30.9 | 1.9

26.8 | 2.3

19.8 | 0.9

12.1 | 0.7

11.0 | 1.0

Number of cases

(in thousands)

Injuries

Illnesses

4

Injuries accounted for the majority of cases reported in 2015 among individual private industry 

sectors. Illnesses accounted for only a small fraction of cases reported in each industry sector. 

Chart 4 data
Incidence rates and numbers of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

by private industry sector, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Finance and insurance

Professional and technical services

Management of companies and enterprises

Information

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Educational services

Utilities

Other services (except public administration)

Administrative and waste services

Real estate and rental and leasing

Wholesale trade

Accommodation and food services

Retail trade

Construction

Manufacturing

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Health care and social assistance

Transportation and warehousing

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

6.0 4.0 2.0 0 200 400 600

5.7

4.5

4.3

4.1

3.8

3.5

3.5

3.3

3.1

2.7

2.4

2.3

2.2

2.1

1.4

1.3

1.0

0.9

0.5

12.0

12.8

20.7

29.1

32.9

38.5

49.9

55.3

56.1

68.9

72.2

124.0

174.6

201.6

204.7

277.4

410.4

466.5

598.3

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

5

Approximately 1 in 5 cases reported by private industry employers in 2015 occurred in healthcare and social assistance industries. 

More than half (50.7 percent) of all nonfatal injury and illness cases reported among private industry establishments in 2015 occurred 

in only three industry sectors—health care and social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. The total recordable cases incidence 

rate was highest in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector in 2015, compared to the other private industry sectors.

Chart 5 data
Incidence rates and numbers of nonfatal occupational injuries

by private industry sector, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Finance and insurance

Professional and technical services

Management of companies and enterprises

Information

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Utilities

Educational services

Other services (except public administration)

Administrative and waste services

Real estate and rental and leasing

Wholesale trade

Accommodation and food services

Retail trade

Manufacturing

Construction

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Health care and social assistance

Transportation and warehousing

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

6.0 4.0 2.0 0 225 450 675

5.4

4.4

4.0

3.9

3.4

3.4

3.4

3.3

3.0

2.6

2.3

2.3

2.0

2.0

1.4

1.2

0.9

0.8

0.5

11.0

12.1

19.8

26.8

30.9

37.3

48.6

52.6

53.0

64.9

70.0

117.1

170.2

194.2

199.6

269.7

399.6

425.7

562.3

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

6

The total recordable injury rate was highest in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector in 2015, compared to 

other private industry sectors. More nonfatal injury cases were reported in the health care and social assistance industry 

sector (562,300)—which includes establishments such as hospitals, residential care facilities, and more—than in any other 

private industry sector in 2015, accounting for 20.3 percent of all injury cases reported among private industry workplaces. 

Chart 6 data
Incidence rates and numbers of nonfatal occupational illnesses

by private industry sector, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Management of companies and enterprises

Finance and insurance

Professional and technical services

Educational services

Real estate and rental and leasing

Other services (except public administration)

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Information

Wholesale trade

Construction

Retail trade

Accommodation and food services

Administrative and waste services

Transportation and warehousing

Utilities

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Health care and social assistance

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Manufacturing

45.0 30.0 15.0 0 20 40 60

32.9

31.2

25.8

20.4

18.6

16.7

13.6

9.2

9.2

8.6

7.9

7.8

7.5

7.0

6.8

6.6

5.0

4.3

4.3

0.7

0.9

1.0

1.2

1.3

1.9

2.2

2.3

2.7

3.1

4.0

4.5

5.1

6.9

7.4

7.7

10.8

36.0

40.8

Incidence rate

(per 10,000 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

7

The manufacturing and health care and social assistance industry sectors together reported more than half (54.7 

percent) of all private industry illness cases in 2015. Workers in the manufacturing industry sector experienced 

illnesses at a rate more than twice the private industry rate (14.6 cases per 10,000 full-time workers) in 2015.

Chart 7 data
Incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases with days away from work,

job transfer, or restriction, by private industry sector, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Finance and insurance

Professional and technical services

Management of companies and enterprises

Information

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Educational services

Utilities

Other services (except public administration)

Administrative and waste services

Accommodation and food services

Manufacturing

Retail trade

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Health care and social assistance

Real estate and rental and leasing

Wholesale trade

Construction

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Transportation and warehousing

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

2.0 1.2

1.9 1.6

1.3 0.6

1.1 0.9

1.1 0.6

1.1 0.9

1.1 1.0

1.1 0.9

1.0 1.2

0.9 0.5

0.9 0.5

0.8 0.4

0.7 0.5

0.6 0.3

0.6 0.3

0.6 0.2

0.3 0.2

0.2 | 0.1

0.2 | 0.0

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Days away from work cases rate

Days of job transfer or restriction only cases rate

8

The rate of cases involving days away from work (DAFW) was highest among two industry sectors—transportation and warehousing and

agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting—compared to other industry sectors in 2015. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting also had the 

highest rate of job transfer or restriction only (DJTR) cases. Manufacturing remained the only private industry sector where the incidence rate of 

job transfer or restriction cases exceeded the rate of days away from work cases in 2015, which has occurred in this sector every year since 1998.

Chart 8 data
Number of nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases with days away from work,

job transfer, or restriction, by private industry sector, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Utilities

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Management of companies and enterprises

Finance and insurance

Educational services

Information

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Professional and technical services

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Real estate and rental and leasing

Other services (except public administration)

Administrative and waste services

Wholesale trade

Accommodation and food services

Construction

Transportation and warehousing

Manufacturing

Retail trade

Health care and social assistance

0 100 200 300

158.4 121.4

123.8 109.0

122.6 147.2

91.0 54.2

79.9 36.2

78.6 41.9

60.3 53.4

43.6 24.2

23.6 12.7

20.6 | 10.4

18.7 | 15.7

18.0 | 8.1

14.1 | 12.7

14.1 | 5.4

10.5 | 4.9

9.5 | 2.4

5.7 | 4.6

5.2 | 2.6

4.1 | 2.8

Number of cases

(in thousands)

Days away from work cases count

Days of job transfer or restriction only cases count

9

Manufacturing sector employers reported the most job transfer or restriction only (DJTR) cases (147,200) among private industry sectors in 2015 and 

was the only sector in which the number of DJTR cases exceeded the number of cases with days away from work (DAFW). More cases involving days 

away from work were reported in the health care and social assistance sector (158,400) than any other private industry sector in 2015. 

Chart 9 data
Industries reporting 100,000 or more nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses,

all ownerships, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

General merchandise stores (Private industry, NAICS 452)

Ambulatory health care services (Private industry, NAICS 621)

Specialty trade contractors (Private industry, NAICS 238)

Nursing and residential care facilities (Private industry, NAICS 623)

Restaurants (Private industry, NAICS 72251)

General medical and surgical hospitals (Private industry, NAICS 6221)

Elementary and secondary schools (Local govt, NAICS 6111)

300 150 0.0 3.5 7.0

2.4

3.0

3.7

4.5

4.8

6.0

6.8

259.5

214.1

185.2

171.9

138.0

130.0

103.3

Number of cases

(in thousands)

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

10

Seven industries reported 100,000 or more injury and illness cases in 2015. Together these seven industries combined to 

account for 32.9 percent of all cases reported among private industry and state and local government workplaces in 2015.

Chart 10 data
Distribution of nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases

and employment by ownership, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016 Percent

0

25

50

75

100

Cases Employment

Private industry 79.4%

Local government 16.5%

State government 4.1%

Private industry 86.5%

Local government 10.1%

State government 3.3%

Total cases:

3,658,500

Total employment:

136,735,000*

Components may not add to totals due to rounding.

* 2015 annual average from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), excluding federal government workers. 11

Approximately 8 in 10 nonfatal injury and illness cases reported in 2015 occurred among private industry workplaces, which 

accounted for 86.5 percent of total employment covered by the SOII. In comparison, local and state government workers incurred 

a disproportionately higher percentage (20.6 percent) of injuries and illnesses relative to their 13.4 percent share of the workforce. 

Chart 11 data
Nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates by case type and ownership, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Private industry State government Local government

1.5

1.8

0.9

1.9

2.5

1.6

0.4

0.8 0.7

1.8

3.0

1.4

3.7

5.6

3.0

Incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

TRC DART DAFW DJTR ORC

TRC = total recordable cases

DART = days away from work, job transfer, or restriction cases

DAFW = days away from work cases

DJTR = days of job transfer or restriction only cases

ORC = other recordable cases

Case type

12

In 2015, local government workers experienced higher rates of all types of injury and illness cases than state 

government and private industry employees. Continuing a trend since 2008, the rate of total recordable cases 

(TRC) of injuries and illnesses remained highest among local government workplaces in 2015 (5.6 cases per 100 

full-time employees), compared to state government (3.7 cases) and private industry (3.0 cases) workplaces. 

Chart 12 data
Incidence rates and numbers of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

by selected industries, state government, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (NAICS 6113)

Police protection (NAICS 92212)

Hospitals (NAICS 622)

Correctional institutions (NAICS 92214)

Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623)

14.0 10.5 7.0 3.5 0 10 20 30 40

12.0

8.3

8.1

6.9

1.9

7.6

13.7

23.9

24.0

33.8

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

13

National public sector estimates, covering more than 4.8 million state government workers in 2015, are available for the eighth consecutive year. 

Injury and illness estimates are available for selected industries within state government and provide for limited comparisons to same industries in 

local government or private industry. For example, rates observed for hospitals or for nursing and residential care facilities may differ significantly 

between private industry and local government as a result of different types of facilities that are more prevalent in one compared to the other. 

Chart 13 data
Incidence rates and numbers of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

by selected industries, local government, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111)

Hospitals (NAICS 622)

Water sewage and other systems (NAICS 2213)

Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623)

Heavy and civil engineering construction (NAICS 237)

Fire protection (NAICS 92216)

Police protection (NAICS 92212)

15.0 10.0 5.0 0 100 200 300

11.3

10.2

8.0

7.2

7.1

5.2

4.8

4.2

7.8

10.6

20.7

27.7

47.8

259.5

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

14

While the incidence rate for elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111)—4.8 cases per 100 workers—

was lower than the average rate for all local government workers (5.6 cases), this industry accounted for 

43.0 percent (259,500 cases) of all injuries and illnesses among local government workers in 2015. More 

than half of the nearly 13.9 million local government employees were employed in this industry. 

Chart 14 data
State nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates*

compared to the national rate, private industry, 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2016

* Total recordable cases (TRC) incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

State rate not available

State rate statistically greater than national rate

State rate not statistically different from national rate

State rate statistically less than national rate

AL

(3.0)

AK

(3.9)

AZ

(2.9) AR

(2.6)

CA

(3.3) CO

CT(3.2)

DE(2.6)

DC(1.6)

FL

GA

(2.7)

HI

(3.4)

ID

IL

(2.9)

IN

(3.7)

IA

(3.7)

KS

(3.0) KY

(3.5)

LA

(1.9)

ME

(4.8)

MD(2.9)

MA(2.7)

MI

(3.3)

MN

(3.5)

MS

MO

(3.0)

MT

(4.3)

NE

(3.4) NV

(3.8)

NH

NJ(2.7)

NM

(3.1)

NY

(2.4)

NC

(2.6)

ND

OH

(2.8)

OK

OR

(3.7)

PA

(3.5)

RI

SC

(2.5)

SD

TN

(3.1)

TX

(2.3)

UT

(3.5)

VT(4.6)

VA

(2.4)

WA

(4.4)

WV

(3.2)

WI

(3.6) WY

(3.3)

PR

15

Private industry and public sector estimates are available individually for 41 participating states and for the District of Columbia for 

2015. The private industry injury and illness rate was statistically higher in 21 states than the national rate of 3.0 cases per 100 fulltime workers, lower in 12 states and in the District of Columbia, and not statistically different in 8 states. Caution should be taken when 

comparing rates among different states as some differences can be attributed to different industry composition within each state. 

Chart 15 data