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

Number of injuries and illnesses with days a

work, 2003-2005

Injuries and illnesses

In 2005 there w

ere 1,234,

680 injuries and illnesses

with days away from work. Goods-producing industries decl

service-pro

viding industries remained relatively the same.

908,310 850,930 840,58407,610

408,400 394,09

0

200,000400,000600,000800,000

1,000,00

0

1,200,00

0

1,400,00

0

2003 2004 2005
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Percent change in incidence rate of injuries and ill

by selected events and exposures, 2004-200

Incidence rates for all e

vents fell b

y 4.0 percent between 2004 and 2005. Assaults and violent acts b

y persons 

fell b

y 14.3 percent; repetitive motion declined b

y 12.7 percent; 

o

v

ere

x

ertion in lifting fell b

y 9.7 percent; and o

v

e

and e

xposed to harmful substance fell less than the average for all e

vents and 

Belo

w

aver

a

g

e

improvement Above aver

a

ge imp

All 

e

v

e

nts or expos

ures -4.0

%

0.0

% -5.0

% -10.0

% 

E

xpo

s

e

d to harmful substan

c

e

Struck by o

bject

Total

Slips, trips

Tra

n

s

portatio

n accident

s

O

v

erexertio

n

O

verexertio

n in liftin

g

R

e

p

etitiv

e m

otion

Assault, viole

nt act

Assault, viole

nt act, b

y p

ers

o

n
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illn

Ele

ven occupations had 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses in 200

5. Laborers and material movers suffere

d th

and tractor-trailer truck drivers and nursing aides, orderlies, and attend

Injuries a

n

d illnesses

(1,234,680 injuries and illnesses with days away from 

w

ork)

20,100

23,060

23,170

31,270

31,440

32,300

32,740

39,270

52,150

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 

R

egistered nurses

Stock clerks a

n

d order fillers

M

aintenance a

n

d repair

w

orkers, general

Carpent

ers

Janit

ors an

d cleaner

s

R

etail salespers

o

n

s

Truck drivers, light/delivery services

Constru

ctio

n l

abor

ers

Nur

sing aid

es, ord

erli

e

s, attendants

Tru

ck driv

ers, h

eav

y/tra

ctor-trailer

Labor

ers and freight, sto

c

k,

and m

ateri

al mov

ers
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illness

For three y

e

ars, these eleven occupations had the most injuries and illnesses. Laborers and mat

erial mov

ers (in

truck drivers (increased 3.7 percent); and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants (no change) had the mos

0

10,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,00090,000

100,000

Truck drivers,

heavy and tractor-trailer

Nursing aides, orderlies,

and attendants

Construction laborers

Truck drivers,

light or delivery services

Retail salespersons

Janitors and cleaners

Carpenters

Maintena

200200200

Laborers and freight, 

stock, and material movers
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Injuries and illnesses and employment fo

occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illne

Injuries and illnesses are not always in proportion to their share of emplo

yment. Maintenance and repair worker

only 0.2% of e

m

plo

yment, and had the largest ratio of injuries to emplo

yment of the occupations shown here. 

injuries t

o employment and account f

or 1.6% of injuries and illnesses and1.7% o

0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%5.0%6.0%7.0%8.0%9.0%

10.0

%

Drivers/sales workers

and truck drivers

Laborers and freight, stock,

and material movers

Nursing, psychiatric,

home health aides

Construction

laborers

Retail

salespersons

Janitors and

cleaners

Carpenters

Mainte

repair work

Percentage of P

erc

e

ntag

e of 
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

0.2

14.0

8.7

12.4

1.3

7.4

6.5

6.7

2.3

6.1

6.6

3.7

6.5

0.7

13.8

11.6

14.4

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 

Not reported

Transportation and

material moving

Production

Installation, maintenance,

and repair

Construction and extraction

Farming, fishing, and forestry

Office and administrative support

Sales and related

Service

Professional and related

Management, business,

and financial

Employment and injuries and illnesses

by occupation group, 2005

1,234,680 injuries and illnesses with days away from work.Employment – Current Population Survey, Private Wages and Salary 

Transportation and mat

erial movers account f

or 6.1% of employment, f

ar below their 20.

5% share of injuries 

financial workers account for 14.4% of e

mployment, but only 2.3% of injuries a
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

7

0 2 4 6 8

All occupations

Inspectors, testers, sorters,

samplers, and weighers

Home health aides

Security guards

Electricians

Packers and packagers, hand

Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

First-line supervisors/managers of

construction trades and extraction workers

Industrial machinery mechanics

Truck drivers, light or delivery services

First-line supervisors/managers of

retail sales workers

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

Occupations with the highest median day

away from work, 2005

Median days away fro

H

e

avy and tractor-trailer truck

drivers and first-line supervisors/manag

ers of retail sales workers had the hig

occupations

with 1⁄2% 

of the total days

a

w

a

y fro

m work cases. These two occupations had twice the 
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Service-providing

industries 

79.0%

Goods-producing

industries 

31.9%

Service-providing

industries 

68.1%

Injuries and illnesses with

days away from work

(Total=1,234,680 injuries and illnesses)

Emplo

(BLS Quarterly Census o

Goods-producing industries made up 21 percent of private industr

y employment but account

ed f

or 32 percent 

w

ork. S

ervice-providing industries made up 79 percent of employment and 68 percent of inj

Injuries and illnesses and employment 

by industry domain, 2005
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Women

41.1%

Men

66.2%

Women

33.8%

Injuries and illnesses with

days away from work

(Total=1,234,680 injuries and illnesses; 

Chart excludes unreported data.)

H

(Cur

Private 

Almost two-thirds of injured or ill workers were men in 2005, well abo

v

e their 59 percent share 

Injuries and illnesses and hours work

by gender of w

orker, 2005
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Injuries and illnesses and hours worked 

by age of worker, 2005

W

orkers 20 to 24 have a higher share of injuries and illnesses in 2005 than their share of hours worke

either has fe

w

er injuries than their share of hours worked would suggest, or ar

3.4%

10.8

%

23.5

%

25.3

%

22.9

%

3.1%

10.2

%

23.6

%

25.7

%

23.3

%

0.0%5.0%

10.0

%

15.0

%

20.0

%

25.0

%

30.0

%

16 - 19 20 -

2

4 25 -

3

4 35 -

4

4 45 -

5

4 

1,234,680 injuries and illnesses 

with d

ays aw

a

y fro

m

w

ork.

(C

Priv
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

The length 

of absences from w

ork rose 

with the age 

of the work

er fr

o

m a median of three days for wo

to a median of 12 days fro

m

w

orkers 65 and older.

3

44

6

8

0 2 4 6

8 

14 t

o 15

16 t

o 19

20 t

o 24

25 t

o 34

35 t

o 44

45 t

o 54

55 t

o 64

6

5 and over

Age of

w

orker

Median day

s away from w

ork

A

med

Median days away from work due to injur

and illnesses by age of worker, 2005
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

There were 163,440 injuries and illnesses with days a

way from work among 

Hispanic and Latino workers in 2005

resources an

d mining (which includes agriculture) had the highest percentage of injuries. About 30 percent of 

Percentage of injuries and illnesses by race or 

origin and selected industries, 2003-2005

46

8

13

39 

21

16

0.0%

5.0%

10.0

%

15.0

%

20.0

%

25.0

%

30.0

%

35.0

%

40.0

%

45.0

%

50.0

%

White only

Bla

c

k only

Total

Natural resources

and mining

Construction

Manufacturing

Education and

health service

Hispanic or Latino
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

sprains

A nursing aid

e

her back

overexertion patient

from

in

lifting

Nature ofdisablingcondition

Event

or

exposure

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, cas

Distribution of injuries and illnesses by natur

S

prains and str

ains accounted for 503,530 cases, or more than 4 out of 10 of all nonfatal occup

ational injuries an

Sprains and str

ains declined

b

y

4 percent fro

m 2004 to 2005. Carpal tunnel s

yndro

m

e d

Sprains, strain

s

40.8

%

Fr

a

ctur

e

s

7.8%

C

uts, laceratio

n

s, p

u

n

cture

s

9.6%

Bruises, c

ont

u

sions

8.7%

Heat b

urns

1.4%

Chemical burn

s

0.5%

Amputation

s

0.7%

Carpal tunn

el syndrome

1.3%

Tendoniti

s

0.5%

Multiple injuries

4.1%

Soreness, Pain

5.3%

Back pain

2.9%

All o

16.5
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Median days away from work due to injuries or ill

by nature, 2005

3

44

5

88

12

0

5 10 15 20 

Chemical burns

Cuts, lacerations

Bruises, contusions

Heat burns

Sprains, strains

Multiple injuries

Tendonitis

Amputations

Fractures

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Median days away from work

All natures

7 days

C

arpal tunnel syndrome an

d fractures each had a median of 27 days a

w

a

y fro

m

w

ork, follo

w

e

d b

y a
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Injuries and illnesses by part of body affected

23.1%

22.0% 21.9%

12.8%

9.8%

3.8%

2.8%

0.0%

Upper

extremities

Lower

extremities

Back Trunk,

except

back

Multiple

parts

Head, 

except

eye

Eye 

25.0%20.0%

15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

Upper extremities, lower extremities, and back each account for more than one-fifth of a
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Median days away from work due to injuries or 

by part of body, 2005

22

4

555

7777

88

9

0 2 4 6 810 

Head

Eye

Body systems

Hand, except finger

Finger

Toe

NeckBack

Upper extremities

Foot, except toe

Trunk

Multiple Parts

Lower extremities

Knee

Wrist

Shoulder

Median days away from work

All parts of body 

7 days

Injuries and illnesses to the shoulder (15 days) and to the wrist (14 days) required the most 

These were twice the median time required for all parts.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Distribution of injuries and illnesses by sourc

Four sources accounted for over half of all nonf

atal injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work in 

w

orker motion or position with 14.7 percent; containers

with 12.3 percent; and parts and ma

Flo

or, gro

u

n

d 

Contain

ers

Parts a

n

d materials, 10.4%

Ve

hicles, 8.9%

Mac

hiner

y, 6.5

%

Handtool

s, 4.6%

Healt

h care p

atie

nt, 4.4

%

Other, 19.1

%
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Median days away from work due to injuries or 

by source, 2005

3

555

77

Chemicals and chemical products

Furniture and fixtures

Tools, instruments, and equipment

Health care patient

Machinery

Parts and materials

Containers

Worker motion or position

Floors, walkways, ground surfaces

Vehicles

0 2 4 6

Median days away from wo

Of the sources of the injury

or illness, vehicles; floors, w

alkways, ground surfaces; and worker mo

median days a

w

a

y fro

m work

with 10 days each.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

39.7%

27.4%

20.7%

5.0% 4.2%

1.7

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%45.0%

Bodily

reaction 

and

exertion

Contact with

objects and 

equipment

Falls Transportation

accidents

Exposure

to harmful

substances

Assa

an

vio

ac

Injuries and illnesses by event or exposure

Bodily reaction and exertion, contact with objects and equip

ment, and falls accounted for almost 90 per

that resulted in days 

a

w

a

y fr

o

m work in 2005.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

3

555

88888

10

13

0

5 10 

Exposure to harmful substances

Struck by object

Struck against object

Assaults and violent acts by person

Caught in equipment or object

Fall on same level

Slips, trips, loss of balance--without fall

Overexertion 

Overexertion in lifting

Transportation accidents

Fall to lower level

Fires and explosions

Repetitive motion

All events 

7 days

Median days away 

Median days away from work due to injuries or il

event or exposure, 2005

Repetitive motion, with

a median 

of 19

d

ays, resulted in the longest absences from 

w

ork a

mong leading e

v

ents 

days and falls to lower level with 13 days had the next longest median days 

a

w
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), 2002-20

In 2005, musculoskelet

al disorders accounted for 375,540 cases, or 30 percent, of the injuries and illnesses w

portion of total cases since BLS started collecting data on MSDs.

0

200,000400,000600,000800,000

1,000,00

0

1,200,00

0

1,400,00

0

1,600,00

0

2002 2003 2004 

34.0

% of

total d

a

y

s

aw

a

y fro

m

w

ork cases

33.1

% of

total d

a

y

s

aw

a

y fro

m

w

ork cases

32.0

% 

total d

a

aw

a

y fro

w

ork ca
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cas

Sprains, strains, tears, 76.7%

Back pain, hurt back, 5.

Soreness, pain

Carpal 

Her

M

T

(375,540 Musculoskeletal disorder cases with days away from w

Musculoskeletal disorders by nature of inju

illness, 2005

Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for o

v

er three-fourths of the musculoskeletal disorders that resu