1

2008 SURVEY OF OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES & ILLNESSES

SUMMARY ESTIMATES CHARTS PACKAGE

October 29, 2009
5.0

4.8

4.6

4.4

4.2

3.9

2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3

2.1 2.0

1.5 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1

1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9

2.4 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.1

1.9

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

Year

Total nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates

by case type, private industry, 2003-2008

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

The overall rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses has declined each year since 2003, when NAICS-based 

estimates were first published by this survey. With the exception of cases involving days of job transfer 

or restriction (DJTR), the injury and illness incidence rate for all other case type declined in 2008. 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

2
1.9

4.2

5.9

5.4 5.4

2.0

4.1

5.8

5.2 5.2

1.9

3.9

5.5

5.0 4.9

1.9

3.8

5.3

4.7

4.5

1.8

3.4

4.9

4.4

4.1

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Size 1

1-10 employees

Size 2

11-49 employees

Size 3

50-249 employees

Size 4

250-999 employees

Size 5

1000+ employees

Incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

Employment size class

Total recordable nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates

by employment size class, private industry, 2004-2008

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

The total recordable case injury and illness incidence rate was highest among mid-size 

establishments (those employing between 50 and 249 workers) in 2008 and lowest among small 

establishments (those employing fewer than 11 workers) compared to establishments of other sizes. 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

3
Injuries

94.9%

All other

illnesses

3.0%

Skin diseases

1.0%

Respiratory

conditions

0.4%

Poisoning

0.1%

Hearing loss

0.6%

Illnesses

5.1%

Distribution of nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases 

by category of illness, private industry, 2008

Only 5 percent of injury and illness cases reported among private industry establishments in 2008 

were illnesses. Nearly 6 in 10 illnesses cases were categorized as “All other illnesses,” which 

includes such things as repetitive motion cases and other systemic diseases and disorders.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

4

3,696,100 total cases
5

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Utilities

Mining

Management of companies and enterprises

Educational services

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Finance and insurance

Information

Real estate and rental and leasing

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Professional and technical services

Other services (except public administration)

Administrative and waste services

Wholesale trade

Transportation and warehousing

Accommodation and food services

Construction

Retail trade

Health care and social assistance

Manufacturing

Number of cases (in thousands)

Distribution of nonfatal occupational injuries versus illnesses by private industry sector, 2008

Injuries

Illnesses

Similar to the distribution of injury and illness cases reported among all private industry establishments 

in 2008, injuries also accounted for most cases reported among individual private industry sectors. 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009
Incidence rate and number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

by private industry sector, 2008

Finance and insurance

Professional and technical services

Management of companies and enterprises

Information

Educational services

Mining

Real estate and rental and leasing

Other services (except public administration)

Administrative and waste services

Utilities

Wholesale trade

Accommodation and food services

Retail trade

Construction

Manufacturing

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Health care and social assistance

Transportation and warehousing

7.5 6.0 4.5 3.0 1.5 0 150 300 450 600 750

5.7

5.4

5.3

5.1

5.0

4.7

4.4

4.1

3.7

3.5

3.1

3.1

3.1

2.9

2.3

2.0

1.6

1.1

0.9

19.6

24.3

28.7

39.1

46.5

51.0

52.4

57.2

68.7

81.9

95.0

154.3

218.5

241.8

311.7

322.7

532.8

660.2

689.7

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

6

The rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses among private industry sectors in 2008 ranged from 5.7 

cases per 100 workers in transportation and warehousing down to 0.9 cases in finance and insurance. 

Three sectors alone—manufacturing, health care and social assistance, and retail trade—combined to 

account for more than half of all cases reported among private all industry establishments in 2008.
Incidence rate and number of nonfatal occupational injuries

by private industry sector, 2008

Finance and insurance

Professional and technical services

Management of companies and enterprises

Information

Educational services

Administrative and waste services

Mining

Real estate and rental and leasing

Other services (except public administration)

Utilities

Wholesale trade

Accommodation and food services

Retail trade

Manufacturing

Construction

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Health care and social assistance

Transportation and warehousing

7.5 6.0 4.5 3.0 1.5 0 150 300 450 600 750

5.5

5.0

4.9

4.9

4.6

4.6

4.3

4.0

3.6

3.2

3.0

3.0

2.9

2.9

2.3

1.9

1.5

1.1

0.8

17.6

23.7

27.1

37.6

43.7

46.7

48.7

54.9

65.2

76.3

91.9

145.6

211.3

233.6

303.2

314.2

520.6

615.9

630.6

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

7

While not significantly different from one another, manufacturing and health care and social 

assistance industry sectors reported more injury cases in 2008 than other industry sectors.
Incidence rate and number of nonfatal occupational illnesses

by private industry sector, 2008

Mining

Finance and insurance

Professional and technical services

Management of companies and enterprises

Educational services

Other services (except public administration)

Retail trade

Accommodation and food services

Wholesale trade

Construction

Real estate and rental and leasing

Information

Administrative and waste services

Transportation and warehousing

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Utilities

Health care and social assistance

Manufacturing

45.0 30.0 15.0 0 20 40 60

43.2

36.1

35.2

32.2

26.3

19.4

17.7

14.0

12.6

12.2

12.2

11.1

9.9

9.8

8.9

8.7

7.7

7.6

7.3 0.6

1.5

1.6

1.9

2.3

2.8

3.1

3.5

3.6

4.3

5.6

7.2

8.2

8.4

8.5

8.7

12.1

44.3

59.1

Incidence rate

(per 10,000 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

8

More illness cases were reported in manufacturing than in any other industry sector in 2008, resulting in an illness rate 

in manufacturing that was more than twice the rate of illnesses nationally (19.7 cases per 10,000 full-time workers).
Incidence rates for cases with days away from work, job transfer, or restriction,

by private industry sector, 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

Finance and insurance

Professional and technical services

Management of companies and enterprises

Information

Educational services

Accommodation and food services

Other services (except public administration)

Utilities

Wholesale trade

Retail trade

Real estate and rental and leasing

Manufacturing

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Administrative and waste services

Mining

Health care and social assistance

Construction

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Transportation and warehousing

0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0

2.5 1.4

1.8 1.1

1.7 0.7

1.4 1.1

1.3 0.7

1.2 0.6

1.2 1.1

1.2 1.5

1.2 0.6

1.2 1.1

1.2 1.0

1.1 0.8

1.0 0.5

0.9 0.6

0.7 0.3

0.7 0.4

0.4 0.3

0.3 0.2

0.2 0.1

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

DAFW rate

DJTR rate

9

Manufacturing was the only industry sector in which the rate of cases involving job transfer or restriction exceeded 

the rate of cases involving days away from work in 2008. This has been the case in manufacturing since 1998. 
Number of cases with days away from work, job transfer, or restriction,

by private industry sector, 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

Utilities

Management of companies and enterprises

Mining

Educational services

Finance and insurance

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Information

Professional and technical services

Real estate and rental and leasing

Other services (except public administration)

Administrative and waste services

Accommodation and food services

Wholesale trade

Transportation and warehousing

Construction

Retail trade

Manufacturing

Health care and social assistance

0 100 200 300 400

171.3 131.2

164.9 207.9

146.3 137.1

120.2 51.3

104.1 60.1

71.9 59.0

69.5 46.6

57.1 29.9

30.5 15.8

21.9 | 10.2

21.5 | 12.0

18.1 | 9.9

16.7 | 15.1

16.1 | 9.9

13.1 | 5.6

11.4 | 4.6

10.6 | 5.8

7.0 | 5.8

5.9 | 4.7

Number of cases

(in thousands)

DAFW count

DJTR count

10

Manufacturing was the only industry sector in which the number of cases involving days of job 

transfer or restriction was significantly higher than cases involving days away from work. This 

sector also reported more cases of job transfer or restriction than any other industry sector in 2008.
11

6.8

6.8

6.8

6.9

7.2

7.2

7.6

8.4

8.7

8.7

0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0

Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 312)

Fabricated metal product manufacturing (NAICS 332)

Warehousing and storage (NAICS 493)

Animal production (NAICS 112)

Wood product manufacturing (NAICS 321)

Primary metal manufacturing (NAICS 331)

Hospitals (NAICS 622)

Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623)

Air transportation (NAICS 481)

Couriers and messengers (NAICS 492)

Incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

Highest nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates among 3-digit NAICS industries, 

private industry, 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

Among the ten 3-digit NAICS industries with the highest rates of nonfatal injuries and 

illnesses, three industries—couriers and messengers (NAICS 492), air transportation 

(NAICS 481), and nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623)—experienced rates that 

were more than twice the rate for all private industry (3.9 cases per 100 workers) in 2008. 
Industries reporting 100,000 or more nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, 

all ownerships, 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

Fabricated metal product manufacturing (Private industry, NAICS 332)

Supermarkets and other grocery stores (Private industry, NAICS 44511)

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods (Private industry, NAICS 423)

Justice, public order, and safety activities (Local govt., NAICS 9221)

Nursing care facilities (Private industry, NAICS 6231)

Ambulatory health care services (Private industry, NAICS 621)

General merchandise stores (Private industry, NAICS 452)

Administrative and support services (Private industry, NAICS 561)

Specialty trade contractors (Private industry, NAICS 238)

Food services and drinking places (Private industry, NAICS 722)

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

Elementary and secondary schools (Local govt., NAICS 6111)

300 225 150 75 0 3.5 7.0 10.5 14.0

2.7

2.9

3.6

3.7

5.1

5.6

5.7

6.2

6.8

7.6

8.9

12.3

284.5

258.2

227.6

217.8

133.7

129.3

120.8

113.8

111.7

109.2

108.3

107.5

Number of cases

(in thousands)

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

12

A dozen industries—each reporting more than 100,000 injury and illness cases—combined to account 

for more than 4 in 10 cases among all private industry and State and local government workers in 2008. 
13

79.8%

86.1%

16.0%

10.3%

4.2% 3.6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Cases Employment

Distribution of nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases and employment

by ownership, 2008

State govt.

Local govt.

Private industry

Nearly 8 in 10 nonfatal injury and illness cases reported in 2008 occurred among 

private industry establishments which accounted for 86 percent of total employment 

covered by this survey. The remaining 20 percent of injury and illness cases occurred 

to public sector workers who accounted for less than 14 percent of total employment.

4,634,100 

total cases

134,035,100 total 

employees

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009
14

3.9

2.0

1.1

0.9

1.9

4.7

2.3

1.7

0.6

2.4

7.0

2.7

1.9

0.8

4.2

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

TRC DART DAFW DJTR ORC

Incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

Nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates by case type and ownership, 2008

Private Industry State govt. Local govt.

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

Private industry establishments experienced a lower incidence of nonfatal injuries and illnesses (3.9 

cases per 100 full-time workers) compared to State and local government workers in 2008—the first 

year for which national public sector estimates are available. Local government workers experienced 

the highest rate among the three ownerships—7.0 cases per 100 workers in 2008.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009
15

7.6

3.0

1.7 1.3

4.6

11.9

5.8

4.0

1.8

6.1

7.3

2.7

1.7

1.0

4.6

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

TRC DART DAFW DJTR ORC

Incidence rate per 100 full-time workers

Nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates, 

public versus private hospitals by case type, 2008

Private industry State govt. Local govt.

Workers at State government hospitals experienced nonfatal occupational injuries and 

illnesses at a significantly higher rate in 2008—11.9 cases per 100 full-time workers—than 

workers at either local government or private industry hospitals, whose rates were not 

significantly different from one another. The same was true for all other case types as well.

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

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009
Incidence rate and number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

by industry, State government, 2008

Colleges and universities (NAICS 6113)

Police protection (NAICS 92212)

Construction (NAICS 23)

Correctional institutions (NAICS 92214)

Hospitals (NAICS 622)

Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623)

14.0 10.5 7.0 3.5 0 10 20 30 40

12.5

11.9

7.9

6.9

5.9

2.6

5.1

6.6

17.0

31.5

34.6

36.9

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

16

National public sector estimates covering nearly 5 million State government employees are available 

from the SOII for the first time for 2008, presenting injury and illness estimates for select industries.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009
Incidence rate and number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

by industry, local government, 2008

Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111)

Transit and ground passenger transportation (NAICS 485)

Hospitals (NAICS 622)

Water sewage and other systems (NAICS 2213)

Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623)

Heavy and civil engineering construction (NAICS 237)

Police protection (NAICS 92212)

Fire protection (NAICS 92216)

15.0 10.0 5.0 0 100 200 300

14.8

14.5

12.9

9.5

9.0

7.3

6.8

5.6

5.2

12.6

13.1

13.5

26.2

39.2

61.8

284.5

Incidence rate

(per 100 full-time workers)

Number of cases

(in thousands)

17

Newly available national public sector estimates covering nearly 14 million local government 

employees show that nearly 4 in 10 nonfatal injuries and illnesses reported in local 

government occurred among elementary and secondary school workers in 2008, although the 

rate of occurrence in this industry was comparatively lower than rates in other industries.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009
State nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rates*

compared to the national rate, private industry, 2008

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, October 2009

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

State rate not available

State rate greater than national rate

State rate not significantly different from national rate

State rate less than national rate

AL

(4.1)

AK

(5.1)

AZ

(3.7) AR

(4.5)

CA

(3.9) CO

CT(4.6)

DE(3.3)

DC(1.9)

FL

(3.8)

GA

(3.3)

HI

(4.3)

ID

IL

(3.6)

IN

(4.7)

IA

(5.0)

KS

(4.5) KY

(4.7)

LA

(2.8)

ME

(6.0)

MD(3.3)

MA(3.6)

MI

(4.4)

MN

(4.2)

MS

MO

(3.6)

MT

(6.4)

NE

(4.4) NV

(4.5)

NH

NJ(3.2)

NM

(3.8)

NY

(2.8)

NC

(3.4)

ND

OH

OK

(4.5)

OR

(4.6)

PA

RI

SC

(3.1)

SD

TN

(4.2)

TX

(3.1)

UT

(4.7)

VT(5.5)

VA

(3.1)

WA

(5.6)

WV

(4.7)

WI

(4.9)

WY

(4.6)

18

Among the 42 States for which estimates are available for 2008, 22 States experienced a higher incidence 

of injuries and illnesses than the national rate (3.9 cases per 100 workers); 14 States experienced a lower 

rate; and 6 States had rates that were not significantly different from the national rate.