number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work ...transportation and material movers...

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.Chart 1

Number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work, 2003-2005

Injuries and illnesses

In 2005 there were 1,234,680 injuries and illnesses with days away from work. Goods-producing industries declined by 3.5 percent; injuries and illnesses in the service-providing industries remained relatively the same.

908,310850,930 840,580

407,610408,400 394,090

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

2003 2004 2005

Goods-producing industriesService-providing industries

Total injuries2003: 1,315,9202004: 1,259,3202005: 1,234,680


Percent change in incidence rate of injuries and illnesses by selected events and exposures, 2004-2005

Incidence rates for all events fell by 4.0 percent between 2004 and 2005. Assaults and violent acts by persons fell by 20 percent; all assaults and violent acts fell by 14.3 percent; repetitive motion declined by 12.7 percent; overexertion in lifting fell by 9.7 percent; and overexertion fell by 7.6 percent. Struck by object

and exposed to harmful substance fell less than the average for all events and exposures.

Belowaverage

improvement Above average improvement

All events or exposures -4.0%

0.0% -5.0% -10.0% -15.0% -20.0%

Exposed to harmful substance

Struck by object

Total

Slips, trips

Transportation accidents

Overexertion

Overexertion in lifting

Repetitive motion

Assault, violent act

Assault, violent act, by person


Occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses, 2005

Eleven occupations had 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses in 2005. Laborers and material movers suffered the most injuries and illnesses, followed by heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants.

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

20,100

23,060

23,170

31,270

31,440

32,300

32,740

39,270

52,150

65,930

92,240

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000 90,000 100,000

Registered nurses

Stock clerks and order fillers

Maintenance and repairworkers, general

Carpenters

Janitors and cleaners

Retail salespersons

Truck drivers, light/delivery services

Construction laborers

Nursing aides, orderlies, attendants

Truck drivers, heavy/tractor-trailer

Laborers and freight, stock,and material movers


Occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses, 2003-2005

For three years, these eleven occupations had the most injuries and illnesses. Laborers and material movers (increased 3.4 percent); heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (increased 3.7 percent); and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants (no change) had the most injuries and illnesses from 2004 to 2005.

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

100,000

Truck

drivers

,

heavy

and tr

actor-t

railer

Nursing ai

des, o

rderl

ies,

and at

tendan

tsConstr

uction la

borers

Truck

drivers

,

light o

r deli

very

servi

ces

Retail s

alesp

ersons

Janito

rs an

d clea

ners

Carpen

ters

Mainten

ance

and re

pair

workers,

genera

lStock

clerk

s and

order

fillers

Regist

ered nurse

s

2003

2004

2005

Laborer

s and fr

eight,

stock

, and m

ateria

l move

rs


Injuries and illnesses and employment for occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses, 2005

Injuries and illnesses are not always in proportion to their share of employment. Maintenance and repair workers account for 1.9% of injuries and illnesses but only 0.2% of employment, and had the largest ratio of injuries to employment of the occupations shown here. Registered nurses have the smallest ratio of

injuries to employment and account for 1.6% of injuries and illnesses and1.7% of employment.

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

7.0%

8.0%

9.0%

10.0%

Drivers

/sales

worke

rs

and tr

uck driv

ers

Laborer

s and fr

eight, s

tock,

and m

ateria

l move

rsNursi

ng, psy

chiat

ric,

home hea

lth ai

desConstr

uction

laborer

s Retail

sales

persons

Janito

rs an

dcle

aners

Carpen

ters

Mainten

ance

and

repair

worke

rs, gen

eral

Stock cl

erks a

nd

order

fillers

Regist

ered nurse

s

Percentage of injuries and illnessesPercentage of employment


0.2

20.5

14.0

8.7

12.4

1.3

7.4

6.5

20.0

6.7

2.3

6.1

6.6

3.7

6.5

0.7

13.8

11.6

16.3

20.3

14.4

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%

Not reported

Transportation andmaterial 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

Percentage of employmentPercentage of injuries and illnesses

Employment and injuries and illnessesby occupation group, 2005

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

Transportation and material movers account for 6.1% of employment, far below their 20.5% share of injuries and illnesses. Management, business, and financial workers account for 14.4% of employment, but only 2.3% of injuries and illnesses.


7

9

9

9

9

10

10

10

10

10

13

14

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

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 ofconstruction trades and extraction workers

Industrial machinery mechanics

Truck drivers, light or delivery services

First-line supervisors/managers ofretail sales workers

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer

Occupations with the highest median days away from work, 2005

Median days away from work

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers and first-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers had the highest median days away from work among occupations with ½% of the total days away from work cases. These two occupations had twice the median days for all occupations.


Goods-producingindustries

21.0%

Service-providingindustries

79.0%

Goods-producingindustries

31.9%

Service-providingindustries

68.1%

Injuries and illnesses withdays away from work

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

Employment(BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages)

Goods-producing industries made up 21 percent of private industry employment but accounted for 32 percent of injuries and illnesses with days away from work. Service-providing industries made up 79 percent of employment and 68 percent of injuries and illnesses in 2005.

Injuries and illnesses and employment by industry domain, 2005


Men

58.9%

Women

41.1%

Men

66.2%

Women

33.8%

Injuries and illnesses withdays away from work

(Total=1,234,680 injuries and illnesses; Chart excludes unreported data.)

Hours worked(Current Population Survey,

Private Wage and Salary Workers)

Almost two-thirds of injured or ill workers were men in 2005, well above their 59 percent share of the nation’s hours worked.

Injuries and illnesses and hours worked by gender of worker, 2005


Injuries and illnesses and hours worked by age of worker, 2005

Workers 20 to 24 have a higher share of injuries and illnesses in 2005 than their share of hours worked would suggest. Every other groupeither has fewer injuries than their share of hours worked would suggest, or are very close.

3.4%

10.8%

23.5%25.3%

22.9%

11.0%

2.2%3.1%

10.2%

23.6%

25.7%

23.3%

11.6%

2.4%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

16 - 19 20 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65 +

Injuries and illnessesHours worked

1,234,680 injuries and illnesses with days away from work.

Hours worked(Current Population Survey,

Private Wage and Salary Workers)


The length of absences from work rose with the age of the worker from a median of three days for workers between 14 and 16 years old to a median of 12 days from workers 65 and older.

3

4

4

6

8

10

11

12

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

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 ofworker


All agesmedian 7 days

Median days away from work due to injuries and illnesses by age of worker, 2005


There were 163,440 injuries and illnesses with days away from work among Hispanic and Latino workers in 2005. Among Hispanic and Latino workers, natural resources and mining (which includes agriculture) had the highest percentage of injuries. About 30 percent of cases do not report race and ethnicity data.

Percentage of injuries and illnesses by race or ethnic origin and selected industries, 2003-2005

46

8

13

39

21

16

7

18

30

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

White only Black only

Total

Natural

reso

urces

and m

ining

Constructi

on

Manufac

turing

Educatio

n and

health

servi

ces

Leisure

and

hospita

lity

Not reported

200320042005

Hispanic or Latino


sprains

A nursing aide

her back

over-exertion patient

from

in

lifting

Nature ofdisablingcondition

Eventor

exposure

Part of bodyaffected

Sourcedirectly

producingdisability

Injury and illness topology

Each injury or illness is described from four viewpoints.


Distribution of injuries and illnesses by nature, 2005

Sprains and strains accounted for 503,530 cases, or more than 4 out of 10 of all nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with days away from work in 2005. Sprains and strains declined by 4 percent from 2004 to 2005. Carpal tunnel syndrome declined by 14 percent.

Sprains, strains40.8%

Fractures7.8%

Cuts, lacerations, punctures9.6%

Bruises, contusions8.7%

Heat burns1.4%

Chemical burns0.5%

Amputations0.7%

Carpal tunnel syndrome1.3%

Tendonitis0.5%

Multiple injuries4.1%

Soreness, Pain5.3%

Back pain2.9%

All other16.5%


Median days away from work due to injuries or illnesses by nature, 2005

3

4

4

5

8

8

12

22

27

27

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Chemical burns

Cuts, lacerations

Bruises, contusions

Heat burns

Sprains, strains

Multiple injuries

Tendonitis

Amputations

Fractures

Carpal tunnel syndrome


All natures7 days

Carpal tunnel syndrome and fractures each had a median of 27 days away from work, followed by amputations with 22 days in 2005.


Injuries and illnesses by part of body affected, 2005

23.1%22.0% 21.9%

12.8%

9.8%

3.8%2.8%

1.5% 1.5%0.9%

0.0%Upper

extremitiesLower

extremitiesBack Trunk,

exceptback

Multipleparts

Head, except

eye

Eye Neck Body systems

All other

25.0%

20.0%

15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

Upper extremities, lower extremities, and back each account for more than one-fifth of all injuries and illnesses.


Median days away from work due to injuries or illnesses by part of body, 2005

2

2

4

5

5

5

7

7

7

7

8

8

9

12

14

15

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Head

Eye

Body systems

Hand, except finger

Finger

Toe

Neck

Back

Upper extremities

Foot, except toe

Trunk

Multiple Parts

Lower extremities

Knee

Wrist

Shoulder


All parts of body 7 days

Injuries and illnesses to the shoulder (15 days) and to the wrist (14 days) required the most time to recuperate in 2005. These were twice the median time required for all parts.


Distribution of injuries and illnesses by source, 2005

Four sources accounted for over half of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work in 2005: floor, ground surfaces with 19.0 percent; worker motion or position with 14.7 percent; containers with 12.3 percent; and parts and materials with 10.4 percent.

Floor, ground surfaces, 19.0%

Worker motion or position, 14.7%

Containers, 12.3%

Parts and materials, 10.4%

Vehicles, 8.9%

Machinery, 6.5%

Handtools, 4.6%

Health care patient, 4.4%

Other, 19.1%


Median days away from work due to injuries or illnesses by source, 2005

3

5

5

5

7

7

8

10

10

10

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 8 10 12


All sources 7 days

Of the sources of the injury or illness, vehicles; floors, walkways, ground surfaces; and worker motion or position had the highest median days away from work with 10 days each.


39.7%

27.4%

20.7%

5.0% 4.2%1.7% 1.1% 0.2%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

Bodilyreaction

andexertion

Contact withobjects and equipment

Falls Transportationaccidents

Exposureto harmful

substances

Assaults and

violentacts

Other Fires and

explosions

Injuries and illnesses by event or exposure, 2005

Bodily reaction and exertion, contact with objects and equipment, and falls accounted for almost 90 percent of nonfatal injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work in 2005.


3

5

5

5

8

8

8

8

8

10

13

16

19

0 5 10 15 20 25

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 from work due to injuries or illnesses by event or exposure, 2005

Repetitive motion, with a median of 19 days, resulted in the longest absences from work among leading events and exposures. Fires and explosions with 16 days and falls to lower level with 13 days had the next longest median days away from work


Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), 2002-2005

In 2005, musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 375,540 cases, or 30 percent, of the injuries and illnesses with days away from work. This is the lowest portion of total cases since BLS started collecting data on MSDs.

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

2002 2003 2004 2005

TotalMSD

34.0% of total days away from work cases





Sprains, strains, tears, 76.7%

Back pain, hurt back, 5.9%

Soreness, pain, hurt, except the back, 5.3%

Carpal tunnel syndrome, 4.4%

Hernia, 4.8%

MSD system and connective tissue diseases and disorders, except

tendonitis, 1.6%

Tendonitis, 1.3%

(375,540 Musculoskeletal disorder cases with days away from work)

Musculoskeletal disorders by nature of injury or illness, 2005

Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for over three-fourths of the musculoskeletal disorders that resulted in days away from work in 2005

number of injuries and illnesses with days away from work ...transportation and material movers...

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