After examining 1.2 million workers compensation claims from 2017 to 2021, a new survey from Travelers found the most frequent causes of injury as follows:
- Overexertion (29% )
- Slips, trips and falls (23%)
- Being struck by an object (12%)
- Motor vehicle accidents (5%)
- Caught-in or caught-between hazards (5%)
“There are tangible consequences to any injury, and many include long-term, sometimes permanent, effects,” said Chris Hayes, assistant vice president of Workers Compensation and Transportation, Risk Control, Travelers, in a statement. “By understanding where the risks were in the past, businesses can better identify what to look for and tailor their risk management and employee safety strategies accordingly to help prevent injuries from happening.”
Looking at severe claims ($250,000 or more), the top drivers were:
- Slips, trips and falls
- Overexertion
- Being struck by an object
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Caught-in or caught-between hazards
As has been the case in the past few years, 35% of workplace injuries occurred during an employee’s first year on the job. For 2023, this resulted in six million missed days.
Lost workdays by specific injuries are as follows:
- Construction (103 days)
- Transportation (83 days)
- Services (72 days)
- Wholesale (71 days)
- Manufacturing (67 days)
Looking at the number of injuries which lead to lost days the data showed:
- Dislocation (142)
- Fractures (92)
- Inflammation ( 85)
- Strains and sprains (54)
- Contusions (30)
In the wholesale sector, lower back injuries were the most common followed by shoulder injuries. In manufacturing shoulder injuries were the most frequent injury. And in small businesses the most common injuries were slips, trips and faults.
In terms of expense of claims, the survey showed that construction workers compensation claims were the most expensive at almost double the average of all industries.
“Factors such as inexperience, workforce shortages and maintenance issues are all contributing to these unfortunate and often avoidable accidents,” said Rich Ives, senior vice president of Business Insurance Claim at Travelers. in a statement. “While the number of injuries overall has been trending downward in recent years, our analysis shows that there’s never been a better time for businesses to invest in workplace safety and injury prevention.