People often get hurt on the job, but just how serious are these injuries? Using 2022 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve identified the most dangerous jobs, which industries have the highest risk of nonfatal injury, and the leading causes of workplace injuries.
Injuries in the workplace are common and can carry serious consequences. Workplace injuries are on the rise from previous years. In 2022, there were 5,486 fatal work-related injuries, a 5.7% increase from 2021 [BLS].
In 2022, private industry employees reported 2,804,200 total nonfatal injuries and illnesses [BLS], along with a reported illness rate of 45.2 cases per 10,000 FTE workers [BLS].
Workers die on the clock every year as well. In 2022, a worker died every 96 minutes from a work-related injury [BLS].
The fatal work injury rate between 2021 and 2022 increased from 3.6 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers to 3.7 per 100,000 FTE [BLS]. These injuries are not siloed into specific industries. They can occur anywhere, though there are occupations with a higher likelihood of injury (such as logging, healthcare, and retail trade).
Missing work, catching an illness, and even death are routine consequences of workplace injuries. Between 2021 and 2022, the average number of days a person missed from work due to injuries was 10 days [BLS]. This can result in a significant chunk of time and money an employee forfeits because they’re injured.
The three most likely causes of occupational injuries that result in days away from work are:
Exposure to harmful substances or environments
Overexertion/bodily reaction
Falls, slips, or trips [NSC.org]
While there are certain industries where injury or illness is more likely, the reality is that workplace injuries can happen anywhere. These injuries can derail a person’s career trajectory and dramatically alter a person’s life.
When considering common workplace injuries, it is important to understand which situations are most dangerous for workers. For example, working outside near a busy highway is typically more dangerous than working in an office setting.
In 2022, out of the 5,486 total fatal injuries (all sectors), 1,369 were roadway incidents, 865 were falls, slips, and trips, and 524 were homicides [BLS].
Transportation incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal event, accounting for 37.7% of all occupational fatalities [BLS].
In 2021-2022, the leading cause of nonfatal work-related injuries or illnesses involving days away from work (DAFW) was exposure to harmful substances or environments [NSC.org].
After certain injuries, workers may need to miss work, transfer to a different department, or face restrictions in their daily duties. The leading cause of days away from work, job restriction, or transfer (DART) cases in 2021-2022 was overexertion and bodily reaction, accounting for 30% of cases [NSC.org].
Due to the nature of industrial job requirements and the often challenging conditions in which employees work, employees in the industrial industry are at a higher risk for overexertion and averse bodily reactions. Between 2021 and 2022, the most common cause of nonfatal injuries/illnesses involving days of a job transfer or restriction (DJTR) was overexertion and bodily reactions [NSC.org].
Unsurprisingly, the industries with the most injury rates also record the highest work-related fatalities.
Construction in 2022 was one of the industries with the highest number of fatal work injuries in 2022, with over 1,069 reported [BLS].
With a rate of 18.6 per 100,000 FTE, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting had the highest fatal work injury rate in 2022 [BLS].
Health care and social assistance is the industry with the highest number of nonfatal work injuries and illnesses in 2022 [BLS]. Other sectors with high rates of nonfatal injuries include:
Retail trade
Manufacturing
Transportation and warehousing
Accommodation and food services
Construction
Wholesale trade
In the U.S., some jobs have a higher probability of work injuries. Occupations that require travel or working outside are statistically more likely that workers will be injured.
In 2022, logging workers had the highest fatal work injury rate [BLS]. With a rate of 100.7 per 100K FTE, logging remains one of the most fatal jobs.
While logging workers had the highest fatal work injury rate, driver/sales workers and truck drivers had the highest number of fatal work injuries in 2022 [BLS]. By far, drivers transporting goods and sales workers are in the most danger of being injured. Over 1,000 deaths were reported in the transportation industry in 2022, making it one of the most dangerous occupations.
Age, race, and gender all impact the likelihood of someone suffering a workplace injury. Statistically, older white men in the transportation industry are the most likely to be injured during their work duties.
Older employees working in transportation report the most workplace fatalities, but across industries—falls, slips, and trips account for a vast majority of workplace injuries.
Transportation incidents were the highest cause of fatalities for this age group, followed by falls, slips, and trips [BLS].
With 3,167 deaths in 2022, Anglo-Americans are most likely out of any demographic to be fatally injured while on the job.
The fatal injury rate for Black or African American workers and Hispanic or Latino workers increased from 2021 to 2022, with rates up from 4.0 to 4.2 and 4.5 to 4.6 per 100,000 FTE workers [BLS].
Transportation incidents accounted for the highest cause of fatalities within both groups, with 278 for Black or African American workers and 439 for Hispanic or Latino workers per 100,000 FTE workers[BLS].
In 2022, there were 5,041 men fatally injured at work compared to 445 women [BLS]. Whether that’s because men tend to occupy more dangerous jobs or there are more men in specific industries, men are consistently at a higher risk for fatal injuries.
Across the board, rural workers miss more work due to injuries than their urban counterparts. [University of Montana, 2022].
Miscellaneous agricultural workers also report a significant number of fatal injuries. However, they may not have the same support to take time off that other rural workers do.
In 2022, there were 4,601 fatal work injuries for wage and salary workers compared to 885 fatal work injuries for self-employed employees [BLS].
It’s no surprise that some of the states with the highest workplace injury stats are also the most populated.
With 578 reported injuries in 2022, Texas beat out California (507) for the highest number of reported occupational injuries. Florida, New York, and North Carolina follow behind Texas and California for the states with the most fatal workplace injuries [BLS].
With only 7 reported injuries in 2022, Rhode Island has the lowest number of fatal work injuries in the United States. Vermont is the next lowest with 11 injuries. For such a populated area, the District of Columbia only had 15 reported injuries in 2022. Delaware follows with 17 fatal occupational injuries, rounding out the top 4 [BLS].
With 419.3 thousand reported injuries in 2022, California has the most nonfatal work injuries out of the entire U.S. Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii round out the top five states for nonfatal occupational illnesses and injuries [BLS].
With less than 5 thousand nonfatal injuries reported in 2022, the District of Columbia is one of the safest places for workers. Wyoming is a close second with 5.1 thousand reported injuries, followed by Alaska with 6.5 thousand occupation injuries in 2022. Delaware and Vermont are also states with low rates of nonfatal injuries in 2022 [BLS].
While lost wages are a definite cost for injured workers, there are other costs that affect employers when workers get sick or injured.
In 2022, the total estimated cost of work injuries was $167 billion [NSC.org]. This figure encompasses wage and productivity loss, medical expenses, administrative expenses, employers’ uninsured costs, cost of time required to investigate injuries, damage to motor vehicles in work-related injuries, and fire loss.
Nonfatal injuries cost a lot less than workplace fatalities. The estimated cost per medically consulted injury in 2022 was $40,000, while the cost per death was $1,390,000 [NSC.org].
Illnesses and injuries cost workers more than a paycheck. In 2022, it is estimated that employees lost over 75 million workdays due to injuries that occurred that year [NSC.org].
In 2022, the total estimated number of workdays lost due to injuries from previous years was 33 million [NSC.org].
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) tracks trends in workplace violations per fiscal year.
Every year, OSHA conducts thousands of workplace inspections to ensure employers and employees are following occupational safety standards. In 2023, there were 34,267 total federal OSHA inspections for the fiscal year [OHSA.gov].
In 2023, fall protection was the most cited by OSHA for 7,188 workplace violations in the construction industry [OSHA.gov]. Workplace violations often correlate to a higher degree of injuries and illnesses. Other workplace standards with high levels of violations include ladders, scaffolding, and hazard communication.
This information highlights the universal need for qualified workers’ compensation attorneys across the country. If you’ve been hurt at work, you’re not alone, and there may be a way to receive compensation for your injuries. Call 848-BookPro to be connected with a lawyer in your area today.
Meaghan Loraas, M.F.A.Author
With over ten years of research, writing, and editing experience, Meaghan Loraas values the power of straightforward communication. Loraas is the current content manager for Expertise.com but has helped dozens of websites with their content strategy. She holds an M.F.A. in creative writing and spends her free time writing fiction.
