Top Work-related Injury Causes

Detailed nonfatal data for 2021 are not currently available.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is transitioning 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 is for reference year 2020. In the fall of 2023, BLS will publish detailed data covering 2021 and 2022 for both Days Away from Work (DAFW) and for Days of Job Transfer or Restriction (DJTR) cases.

The leading causes of death and nonfatal injury are not always the same. While transportation incidents are the leading cause of death in 2021, resulting in 38% of all work-related deaths, they are the fifth leading cause of nonfatal injuries in 2020 (latest data available), accounting for only about 3% of injuries or illnesses involving days away from work. In 2020, the leading cause of nonfatal work-related injuries or illnesses involving days away from work is exposure to harmful substances or environments, accounting for 36% of injuries or illnesses. Exposure to harmful substances or environments fatalities are far less common, accounting for 14% of deaths in 2020. The exposure to harmful substances or environments category includes contagious and infectious diseases such as COVID-19. To learn more about the impact of work-related COVID-19 illnesses please visit the COVID-19 workplace page. A comparison of the leading causes of death and nonfatal injuries or illnesses involving days away from work is provided here. Drill down to view subcategory data by clicking a category on the chart. To view data for both fatal and nonfatal injuries, adjust the year filter to 2020 or earlier.

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How to Use Injury Facts® Charts and Tables

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.