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Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities in Food Manufacturing, 2008

by Nivedita L. Bhushan

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Originally Posted: January 21, 2011

Workers in food manufacturing are more likely to be fatally injured and experience nonfatal injuries and illnesses than

workers in private industry as a whole. Food manufacturing workers are also much more likely to suffer an injury requiring job

transfer or restriction than one that requires days away from work.

Food manufacturing was one of the largest industries in the manufacturing sector in 2008. Workers in this industry process,

package, and transport livestock and agricultural products, transforming them into the food products that are seen in

households, grocery stores, and restaurants.1 Although more than 50 percent of workers in this industry are employed in

production occupations, they operate in diverse environments that present a multitude of occupational safety and health

risks.2 Workers in food manufacturing are more likely to be fatally injured and experience nonfatal injuries and illnesses than

those in private industry as a whole. In addition, food manufacturing workers are much more likely to suffer a nonfatal injury

or illness requiring job transfer or restriction than one resulting in days away from work to recuperate.

As can be seen in table 1, the food manufacturing subsector is divided into nine subindustries. These subindustries are

based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).3 In 2008, animal slaughtering and processing

employed the largest proportion (34.5 percent) of food manufacturing workers, while seafood product preparation and

packaging employed the smallest proportion (2.5 percent).

Table 1. Employment distribution in food manufacturing industries, 2008

NAICS Industry Annual average employment Percent employment

311 Food manufacturing 1,474,432 100.0

3111 Animal food manufacturing 50,892 3.5

3112 Grain & oilseed milling 61,997 4.2

3113 Sugar & confectionary product manufacturing 70,569 4.8

3114 Fruit & vegetable preserving & specialty food manufacturing 175,941 11.9

3115 Dairy product manufacturing 130,186 8.8

3116 Animal slaughtering & processing 508,283 34.5

3117 Seafood product preparation & packaging 37,397 2.5

3118 Bakeries & tortilla manufacturing 276,275 18.7

3119 Other food manufacturing 162,892 11.0

Source: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2008

This article uses data from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and the Census of Fatal Occupational

Injuries (CFOI) to profile nonfatal work-related injuries and illnesses and workplace fatalities in the food manufacturing

industry.4

Nonfatal Injuries And Illnesses

In 2008, the food manufacturing industry reported 93,200 total recordable injury and illness cases--at a rate of 6.2 cases per

100 full-time workers. This was higher than the manufacturing sector rate of 5.0 cases and 59 percent higher than the overall

private industry rate of 3.9. Almost all (eight of nine) subindustries within the food manufacturing industry also had incidence

rates that were significantly higher than the rate in private industry as a whole, ranging from animal slaughtering and
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processing (NAICS 3116), at a rate of 7.5 cases per 100 full-time workers, to grain and oilseed milling (NAICS 3112), at 4.5

cases per 100 full-time workers.

Total recordable case data are split into three subcategories: (1) cases with days away from work, (2) cases with job transfer

or restriction only, and (3) other recordable cases. (See table 2.) Manufacturing was the only private industry sector in which

there were more injury and illness cases requiring job transfer or restriction (207,900) than there were cases requiring days

away from work (164,900). Food manufacturing had 39,200 injury and illness cases requiring job transfer or restriction, with

an incidence rate of 2.6 cases per 100 workers while the rate for total private industry was 0.9 cases per 100 workers. Among

the food manufacturing subindustries and even private industry as a whole, animal slaughtering and processing had one of

the higher job transfer or restriction rates, at 3.9 cases per 100 full-time workers.

Table 2. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in food manufacturing industries by case type, 2008

(thousands)

NAICS Industry sector

Total

recordable

cases

Total cases with days

away from work, job

transfer or restriction

Cases with

days away

from work

Cases with job

transfer or

restriction only

Other

recordable

cases

311 Food manufacturing 93.2 60.5 21.3 39.2 32.7

3111

Animal food

manufacturing

2.6 1.5 0.7 0.8 1.1

3112 Grain & oilseed milling 3.0 1.7 0.6 1.1 1.3

3113 Sugar & confectionary

product manufacturing

4.0 2.2 0.8 1.4 1.8

3114

Fruit & vegetable

preserving & specialty

food manufacturing

9.6 5.5 2.3 3.2 4.1

3115 Dairy product

manufacturing

9.1 6.0 2.9 3.1 3.0

3116 Animal slaughtering &

processing

39.8 26.6 6.1 20.5 13.1

3117

Seafood product

preparation &

packaging

2.7 1.6 1.1 0.5 1.0

3118

Bakeries & tortilla

manufacturing

14.1 9.7 4.2 5.5 4.4

3119

Other food

manufacturing

8.4 5.7 2.5 3.2 2.7

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2008

More serious injuries and illnesses often require days away from work to allow the worker time to recuperate. The food

manufacturing industry accounted for 2 percent of total cases with days away from work in all of private industry. The

incidence rate for cases involving days away from work in the food manufacturing industry was 1.4 cases per 100 full-time

workers. This rate is about 27 percent higher than the rate for all private industry (1.1 cases per 100 full-time workers).

Among the food manufacturing subindustries and private industry as a whole, dairy product manufacturing had one of the

higher rates of cases with days away from work, at 2.2 cases per 100 full-time workers.

The type of injury or illness most often associated with days away from work in the food manufacturing industry was sprains

and strains, with 31 percent of injuries and illnesses. Contact with objects, as well as overexertion (such as lifting, pulling, or

pushing) were the most frequent events that led to days-away-from-work cases across food manufacturing and its nine
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subindustries. Ground, floor surfaces, and containers were the predominant sources of injuries and illnesses, collectively

accounting for 37 percent of cases with days away from work.

Another measurement for cases with days away from work is musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The Department of Labor

defines MSDs as cases in which the nature of injury or illness is sprains, strains, tears; back pain, hurt back; soreness, pain,

and hurt, except the back; carpal tunnel syndrome; hernia; or musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases and

disorders where the event or exposure leading to the injury or illness was bodily reaction/bending, climbing, crawling,

reaching, twisting; overexertion; or repetition. Due to the fact that the MSD definition includes a variety of both injuries and

illnesses, some of which have small numbers of cases, incidence rates are presented per 10,000 full-time workers instead of

per 100 full-time workers.

Food manufacturing accounted for 12 percent of all MSDs in the manufacturing industry and had a higher incidence rate than

the manufacturing sector as a whole, with 40.6 cases per 10,000 workers. Among food manufacturing subindustries, animal

slaughtering and processing had the most MSDs, with 1,740 cases. Although animal slaughtering and processing had the

most number of cases, the incidence rate for this industry and its median days away from work were almost equal to that of

private industry as a whole; 33.0 out of every 10,000 workers in animal slaughtering and processing suffered MSDs, with a

median of 9 days away from work, while 33.4 out of every 10,000 workers in private industry suffered MSDs, with a median of

10 days away from work.

Table 3. Number, incidence rate, and median days away from work resulting from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in

food manufacturing industries, 2008

NAICS Industry Total MSD cases Incidence rate Median days

31 Manufacturing 51,980 38.0 13

311 Food manufacturing 6,090 40.6 11

3111 Animal food manufacturing 190 36.1 4

3112 Grain & oilseed milling 170 25.3 13

3113 Sugar & confectionary product manufacturing 150 21.7 11

3114 Fruit & vegetable preserving & specialty food

manufacturing

520 29.2 10

3115 Dairy product manufacturing 1,030 76.7 10

3116 Animal slaughtering & processing 1,740 33.0 9

3117 Seafood product preparation & packaging 330 86.3 10

3118 Bakeries & tortilla manufacturing 1,280 47.6 17

3119 Other food manufacturing 670 41.5 13

Note: Incidence rates represent the number of injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers (10,000 full-time workers for illness rates) and

were calculated as follows:

(N÷EH) × 200,000, where N = number of injuries and illnesses; 

EH = total hours worked by all employees during the calendar year; 

200,000 = base for 100 full-time equivalent workers (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year); 

20,000,000 = base for 10,000 full-time equivalent workers (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year).

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2008

As shown in chart 1, the most common nature of injuries and illnesses affecting workers in animal slaughtering and

processing among MSD cases was sprains, strains, and tears, accounting for 47 percent of the cases involving days away

from work.
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In addition, as can be seen in chart 2, the most common event or exposure affecting workers in animal slaughtering and

processing was overexertion (lifting, pulling, pushing, carrying), accounting for 55 percent of the cases.

Although the food manufacturing industry only accounted for 6.5 percent of total private industry illnesses, its rates and

numbers of illness cases were among the highest of all three-digit NAICS sectors.5 In 2008, there were 12,200 total
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recordable illness cases in food manufacturing, and the incidence rate for the industry (81.0 illnesses per 10,000 workers)

was about four times greater than that of private industry (19.7 illnesses per 10,000 workers). Total recordable illness cases

are further divided into skin disorders, respiratory conditions, poisonings, hearing loss, and all other illnesses. As can be seen

in table 4, the distributions of these illness categories for food manufacturing and all private industry were not consistent.

Food manufacturing had a larger proportion of hearing loss and all other illnesses and a smaller proportion of skin disorders

and respiratory conditions.

Table 4. Total recordable illness distribution in food manufacturing industries and private industry, 2008

Illness categories Private industry Food manufacturing

Number of illnesses Percent of total illnesses Number of illnesses Percent of total illnesses

Total cases 187.4 100 12.2 100

Skin disorders 35.8 19.1 0.7 5.7

Respiratory conditions 14.8 7.9 0.3 2.5

Poisonings 2.6 1.4 0.1 0.8

Hearing loss 22.1 11.8 2.9 23.8

All other illnesses 112 59.8 8.2 67.2

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2008

Almost half of the injuries or illnesses with days away from work in food manufacturing in 2008 affected workers whose

occupations dealt directly with production. Production workers can be further broken out into six occupation groups:

supervisors of production workers, assemblers and fabricators, food processing workers, metal and plastic workers, plant and

system operators, and other production workers. (Three additional occupation groups exist under production workers but are

not applicable to the food manufacturing industry: printing workers; textile, apparel, and furnishings workers; and

woodworkers.) Of the relevant occupation groups, food processing and other production workers accounted for nearly 90

percent of the injuries and illnesses among all production workers in food manufacturing. Aside from production-related

occupations, two other occupation groups in the food manufacturing industry had notably high percentages of injuries and

illnesses: transportation and material moving workers suffered 30.2 percent of the total, and installation, maintenance, and

repair workers accounted for about 7 percent.

Male workers accounted for a larger proportion (70.8 percent) of injury and illness cases with days away from work than their

proportion of total employment (63.0 percent) in the food manufacturing industry.6 A little less than three quarters (71.8

percent) of injured food manufacturing workers were aged 25 to 54. White, non-Hispanic workers accounted for 37.9 percent

of cases involving days away from work, while Hispanic workers accounted for 25.5 percent. Workers whose race was

unreported accounted for 21.4 percent of nonfatal injury and illness cases involving days away from work. The percent

distribution of injured or ill food manufacturing workers by race was consistent with the distribution among all private industry

workers for all races except Hispanic workers. The percentage of injured or ill Hispanic workers was nearly twice as high in

food manufacturing as in private industry.

Fatal Workplace Injuries

The food manufacturing industry accounted for the largest number of fatal workplace injuries in the manufacturing sector. A

total of 70 workers were killed on the job in 2008, a 37-percent increase from the 51 fatalities reported in 2007. The total

fatality rate--the number of fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers--was 4.4 in food manufacturing

in 2008; this was slightly higher than the overall private industry fatality rate of 4.0.

As shown in chart 3, of the 70 fatalities recorded in 2008, 40 percent occurred from transportation incidents, 23 percent were

due to fires or explosions, and 17 percent resulted from contact with objects and equipment.
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As can be seen in table 5, with 18 of the 70 fatal workplace injuries in food manufacturing, sugar and confectionary

manufacturing accounted for the largest portion (26 percent) of fatal injuries. Of these 18 fatalities, 14 were due to fires or

explosions, all of which can be attributed to the 2008 sugar factory explosion in Port Wentworth, Georgia.7 Sugar and

confectionary manufacturing also accounted for 87.5 percent of the fatal injuries resulting from fires or explosions occurring

within the food manufacturing industry as a whole in 2008. This distribution is unlike previous years--there were only 16 fatal

injuries due to fires or explosions recorded in food manufacturing between 2003 and 2007.

Table 5. Number of fatal workplace injuries in food manufacturing industries, 2008

NAICS Industry Number of fatalities

311 Food manufacturing 70

3111 Animal food manufacturing 15

3112 Grain & oilseed milling 4

3113 Sugar & confectionary product manufacturing 18

3114 Fruit & vegetable preserving & specialty food manufacturing 3

3115 Dairy product manufacturing 7

3116 Animal slaughtering & processing 10

3117 Seafood product preparation & packaging 7

3119 Other food manufacturing 4

Note: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless

precipitated by an injury event.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2008
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The eight other food manufacturing industries accounted for 52 fatal workplace injuries in 2008. Among these 52 fatalities,

the two most frequent fatal events were transportation incidents (26 fatalities) and contact with objects and equipment (11

fatalities). The majority (62 percent) of the transportation incidents were highway incidents.

Most of the 70 fatal injuries suffered by workers in the food manufacturing industry in 2008 were the result of multiple

traumatic injuries (40 percent) or other traumatic injuries (20 percent). Among the other traumatic injuries, 64 percent were

from poisonings or toxic effects (4 fatalities) and asphyxiations-suffocations (5 fatalities).

The primary source that accounted for the most fatal workplace injuries in food manufacturing in 2008 was vehicles, which

include highway trucks and automobiles, and accounted for 33 fatalities in 2008, a 65-percent increase from 2007. However,

persons, plants, and minerals were the largest secondary source, accounting for 16 fatal injuries.

The majority of workers fatally injured in the food manufacturing industry were men (96 percent). Exactly 80 percent of the

decedents were aged 35 to 64. White, non-Hispanic workers accounted for 56 percent of fatally injured food manufacturing

workers, while Hispanic workers accounted for 19 percent of the fatalities in 2008. The percent distribution of decedents in

food manufacturing by race was consistent with the distribution for all workplace fatalities. The majority (74 percent) of the

fatalities that occurred in the food manufacturing industry in 2008 came in two occupational groups: production workers (19

fatalities) and transportation and material moving workers (33 fatalities).

Conclusion

Workers in food manufacturing are more likely to be fatally injured and experience nonfatal injuries and illnesses than those

in private industry as a whole. In addition, compared with other private industry workers, food manufacturing workers are

much more likely to suffer an injury requiring job transfer or restriction than days away from work. Production workers

constitute more than half of the employees in the entire food manufacturing industry. However, while they account for the

majority of nonfatal injuries, transportation and material moving workers account for the majority of fatal injuries.

Nivedita L. Bhushan

Economist, Office of Safety, Health and Working Conditions, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Telephone: (202) 691-6178; E-mail: Bhushan.Nivedita@bls.gov. Notes

1 For a description of the food manufacturing industry, see “Industries at a Glance, Food Manufacturing: NAICS 311,” on the Internet at http://

www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag311.htm.

2 Data on the distribution of workers in the food manufacturing industry by occupation are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Occupational Employment Statistics program. See “May 2009 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates,

NAICS 311000 — Food Manufacturing,” on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_311000.htm.

3 For more information on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), see the BLS NAICS page on the Internet at http://

www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

4 More information on the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities (IIF) program can be found on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/iif/

home.htm#tables.

5 Although the food manufacturing industry only accounted for 6.5 percent of total private industry illnesses, its rates and numbers of illness

cases were among the highest of all three-digit NAICS sectors. Other industries with comparable incidence rates to that of food manufacturing

include the leather and allied product manufacturing industry (NAICS code 316), at 86.3 illnesses per 10,000 employees; and the

transportation equipment manufacturing industry (NAICS code 336), at 81.2 illnesses per 10,000 employees. Other industries with comparable

total recordable cases include hospitals (NAICS code 622), at 21,400 illness cases; and the transportation equipment manufacturing industry

(NAICS code 336), at 12,200 illness cases.

6 Data on the demographic distribution of workers in the food manufacturing industry are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current

Population Survey program. See “Demographics,” on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm.

7 See “Report Cites Lack of Precautions in 2008 Sugar Plant Fire,” New York Times, Sept. 24, 2009, on the Internet at http://

www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/us/25sugar.html?ref=imperialsugarcompany (accessed January 11, 2011).
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Data for Chart 1. Percent distribution of musculoskeletal disorders by nature of injury or illness in animal slaughtering

and processing, 2008

Nature of injury or illness Percent

Sprains, strains, and tears 47%

Back pain and soreness 20%

Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases and disorders 13%

Hernias 10%

Carpal tunnel syndrome 10%

Total 100%

Data for Chart 2. Percent distribution of musculoskeletal disorders by event or exposure in animal slaughtering and

processing, 2008

Event or exposure Percent

Overexertion 55%

Repetitive motion 36%

Bending, climbing, crawling, reaching, and twisting 10%

Data for Chart 3. Percent of fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure in food manufacturing, 2008

Event or exposure Percent

Transportation incidents 40%

Fires and explosions 23%

Contact with objects and equipment 17%

Falls 9%

Exposure to harmful substances or environments 9%

Total 98%

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