Detailed nonfatal data starting in 2023-2024
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has transitioned from an annual to a biennial (every two years) publication schedule. The final publication of a single year of cases involving days away from work estimates was for reference year 2020. The most recent BLS detailed data covers 2023 and 2024 for Days Away from Work (DAFW), Days of Job Transfer or Restriction (DJTR), and Days Away from Work, Job Restriction, or Transfer (DART) cases.
New event categories starting in 2023
The BLS has updated the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System starting with the 2023 data year. The update includes changes to how injury and illness events are classified. This change is considered a data break, therefore, comparing counts to previous years is often unavailable and, when available, should be done with caution. Currently, 2024 fatality data are using the new classification categories, while the most recent nonfatal 2023-2024 data use the previous classification categories.
The private sector experienced 937,620 musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) DART cases, including 484,620 DAFW cases in 2023-2024. MSDs are broadly defined by BLS as painful disorders of muscles, connective tissues, and nerves. These may be attributed to injuries, diseases, and degenerative conditions. The table below provides suggested categories of musculoskeletal disorders by exposure type for the purpose of ergonomic and safety interventions.
Musculoskeletal Injuries and Disorders
| MSD Category | Exposure Type |
| 1. Traumatic injuries of the musculoskeletal system Nature – Soft tissue injuries AND NOT Event Division – Overexertion | Injuries causing acute disruption of soft tissues, resulting from a single incident of trauma, such as a car accident |
| 2. Acute overexertion Injuries resulting from a single incident Nature – Soft tissue injuries AND Event – Overexertion involving external object(s) or Event – Bodily position and motion | Injuries resulting from a single incident of strain or overexertion |
| 3. Repetitive strain injuries Nature – Soft tissue injuries or Nature strain injuries Nature – Musculoskeletal diseases and disorders AND Event – Repetitive microtasks | Injuries resulting from prolonged or repetitive exposure lasting more than a single shift but are of a relatively minor nature, and without a medical diagnosis as a disorder. |
| 4. Diseases and disorders of the musculoskeletal system Nature – Musculoskeletal diseases and disorders | These conditions typically result from work activities that involve prolonged exposure to repetitive tasks, exertion of force, or maintenance of awkward postures. They may also be sequelae of a traumatic injury. |
This infographic provides an overview of the nonfatal trends. The data on nonfatal cases cover occupational injuries and illnesses and come from the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) for 2011-2024. From 2011 through 2020, annual estimates are available for the number of DAFW cases (with or without days of restricted work activity). Starting in 2021, biennial estimates are available for DAFW, DJTR, and DART cases. This page highlights both DAFW and DART estimates. The latest estimate period available reflects cases occurring in 2023 and 2024. Because DAFW data transitioned from annual reporting to biennial reporting in 2021, care should be used when comparing trends. In addition, BLS injury and illness definitions were updated starting with the 2023 data year, also potentially impacting comparisons over time. Explore the data details tab for additional information on demographics, industry, occupation, days lost, and historic trends.