Worker health statistics measure different parts of a broad subject: employer-recorded injuries and illnesses, fatal injury events, self-reported conditions, modeled global disease burden, and musculoskeletal symptoms. The figures below identify the population, geography, period, and measurement type so that unlike measures are not treated as interchangeable.
Key Worker Health Statistics
The most broadly useful worker health figures include:
- In 2024, 2.5 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by U.S. private-industry employers.
- From 2023 to 2024, U.S. private-industry reported cases fell 3.1%.
- In 2024, private-industry illness cases fell 26.0% to 148,000 in the United States.
- In 2024, the U.S. private-industry total-recordable-case rate was 2.3 cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers.
- In 2024, 5,070 fatal occupational injuries were recorded across all U.S. ownerships.
- In 2024, transportation incidents caused 1,937 fatal occupational injuries in the United States.
- In 2023, the U.S. fatal work-injury rate was 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers.
- In 2018, 35.1% of currently employed U.S. respondents reported ever having a work-related health problem.
- In 2018, 19.4% of currently employed U.S. respondents reported work-related back pain.
- In 2018, 48.6% of surveyed U.S. construction workers reported any work-related health problem.
- For 2000–2016, WHO and ILO estimated 2.6 million global work-related deaths from diseases.
- For 2000–2016, occupational injuries were attributed to 26.4 million global work-related DALYs.
- For 2000–2016, long working hours were attributed to 23.3 million global work-related DALYs.
- In 2015, diagnosed arthritis affected an estimated 21.499 million U.S. workers.
- In 2015, lower-extremity joint symptoms in the previous 30 days affected an estimated 31.604 million U.S. workers.
- In 2023, European Union workplaces recorded 2.83 million nonfatal accidents at work.
- In 2023, the European Union recorded 3,298 fatal accidents at work.
- In 2023, the EU fatal-accident incidence rate was 1.63 per 100,000 employed people.
Contents
- Nonfatal worker injuries and illnesses
- Fatal occupational injury data
- U.S. worker health trends and safety capacity
- Self-reported worker health and back pain
- Global occupational disease and disability burden
- Musculoskeletal worker health statistics
- European workplace accident statistics
Nonfatal Worker Health Statistics: Injuries and Illnesses
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) counted 2.5 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private-industry employers in 2024. This employer-reported series follows OSHA recordkeeping rules, so it does not capture every unreported or nonrecordable condition. BLS, Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses—2023–2024
| U.S. private industry measure | 2024 result | Definition or unit |
|---|---|---|
| Total nonfatal cases | 2.5 million | Employer-reported cases |
| Year-over-year total change | -3.1% | 2023–2024 |
| Illness cases | 148,000 | 26.0% decrease |
| Respiratory illness cases | 54,000 | 46.1% decrease |
| Total-recordable-case rate | 2.3 | Per 100 FTE workers |
| Injury incidence rate | 2.2 | Per 100 FTE workers |
| Illness incidence rate | 13.9 | Per 10,000 FTE workers |
| Respiratory illness rate | 5.1 | Per 10,000 FTE workers |
The 2024 private-industry illness total fell 26.0% to 148,000 cases, while respiratory illness cases fell 46.1% to 54,000. The rates use different denominators: injuries are expressed per 100 full-time-equivalent workers, while illness and respiratory-illness rates are expressed per 10,000 FTE workers.
Fatal Occupational Injury Data and Exposure Events
The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries recorded 5,070 fatal occupational injuries in the United States in 2024, including 4,616 in private industry. CFOI counts fatal injury events; it generally does not count illness-related deaths unless an injury event precipitated them. BLS, Table A-1: Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2024
The principal event and exposure categories were:
- Transportation incidents caused 1,937 fatal occupational injuries in 2024.
- Falls, slips and trips accounted for 844 fatal occupational injuries.
- Contact incidents accounted for 756 fatal occupational injuries; this category uses OIICS version 3 for 2023 onward.
- Exposure to harmful substances or environments was recorded in 687 fatal occupational injuries.
- Violent acts caused 733 fatal occupational injuries.
- Explosions and fires caused 93 fatal occupational injuries.
These categories describe the event or exposure associated with fatal injury, not the full burden of work-related mortality. In particular, the CFOI scope should not be read as a current-year count of occupational disease deaths.
U.S. Worker Health Trends and Safety Capacity
OSHA’s commonly used statistics page reports 5,283 fatal work injuries in 2023, equal to 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 FTE workers. The same page reports 2.4 worker injuries and illnesses per 100 workers in 2023, compared with 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972; long-run comparisons can reflect changes in coverage, definitions and reporting as well as safety conditions. OSHA, Commonly Used Statistics
| U.S. measure | Earlier or current period | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal work injuries | 2023 | 5,283; 3.5 per 100,000 FTE |
| Worker injuries and illnesses | 2023 | 2.4 per 100 workers |
| Comparable incident rate | 1972 | 10.9 per 100 workers |
| Average worker deaths | 2023 | About 15 per day |
| Average worker deaths | 1970 | About 38 per day |
OSHA and state partners have about 1,850 inspectors for approximately 130 million workers and more than 8 million worksites. Federal OSHA conducted 34,696 inspections in fiscal year 2024; these figures describe administrative coverage and federal activity, not inspection effectiveness.
The 2023 fatal-work-injury rate and nonfatal incident rate use different denominators and event definitions. They should therefore not be compared as if they measured the same probability.
Self-Reported Worker Health and Back-Pain Statistics
A CDC MMWR analysis of a weighted online SummerStyles panel found that 35.1% of currently employed U.S. respondents in 2018 reported ever having a work-related health problem. This is lifetime self-reported prevalence, not annual incidence and not the same measure as an employer-recorded SOII case. CDC MMWR, Lifetime Prevalence of Self-Reported Work-Related Health Problems Among U.S. Workers—United States, 2018
| Self-reported measure | 2018 result | Population and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Any work-related health problem | 35.1% | Currently employed U.S. respondents; lifetime prevalence |
| Work-related back pain | 19.4% | Currently employed U.S. respondents; lifetime prevalence |
| Work-related injury requiring medical treatment | 14.7% | Currently employed U.S. respondents; lifetime prevalence |
| Any work-related health problem, ages 55–64 | 41.3% | Employed U.S. respondents; age subgroup |
| Any work-related health problem, ages 18–24 | 21.7% | Employed U.S. respondents; age subgroup |
| Any work-related health problem, construction | 48.6% | Surveyed U.S. construction workers; industry subgroup |
The construction estimate had a wide 95% confidence interval of 36.54%–60.58%, so it is an industry subgroup estimate rather than a national construction census. The back-pain estimate had a 95% confidence interval of 17.6%–21.2%.
Global Worker Health Statistics: Disease, Disability and Risk
WHO and ILO’s joint estimates for 2000–2016 modeled selected occupational risks and outcomes worldwide. The framework covered 19 occupational risk factors and 31 health outcomes, so its figures are attributable modeled estimates rather than a current-year surveillance count. WHO, Total WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury, 2000–2016
| Global modeled measure | 2000–2016 estimate | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Work-related deaths from diseases | 2.6 million | Included modeled framework |
| DALYs attributed to occupational injuries | 26.4 million | Disability-adjusted life years |
| DALYs attributed to long working hours | 23.3 million | Attributable modeled burden |
| DALYs attributed to occupational ergonomic factors | 12.3 million | Defined ergonomic exposures |
| DALYs attributed to stroke | 12.6 million | Leading outcome in the framework |
| DALYs attributed to back and neck pain | 12.3 million | Attributable modeled burden |
The global figures do not represent all occupational diseases or every workplace exposure. DALYs combine health loss from premature death and disability, while the death estimate covers disease deaths within the specified WHO/ILO model.
Musculoskeletal Worker Health Statistics and Joint Symptoms
NIOSH Worker Health Charts, using the 2015 National Health Interview Survey, estimated 21.499 million U.S. workers had diagnosed arthritis. The chart’s unadjusted prevalence was 14.75%, with a 95% confidence interval of 14.02%–15.51%; the estimate is survey-based and should not be treated as an employer-recorded case count. NIOSH Worker Health Charts, Unadjusted Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Health
| 2015 U.S. worker measure | Estimated workers | Unadjusted prevalence |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosed arthritis | 21.499 million | 14.75% |
| Upper-extremity joint symptoms, previous 30 days | 21.598 million | 14.81% |
| Lower-extremity joint symptoms, previous 30 days | 31.604 million | 21.68% |
Upper-extremity symptoms had a 95% confidence interval of 14.04%–15.62%, and lower-extremity symptoms had a 95% confidence interval of 20.85%–22.53%. The 30-day symptom measures are not equivalent to diagnosed disease or lifetime prevalence.
European Worker Health Statistics on Accidents and Fatality Rates
Eurostat reported 2.83 million nonfatal accidents at work in the European Union in 2023, down 5% from 2022, a reduction of 148,935 reported accidents. Coverage and national reporting practices affect comparability across countries and years. Eurostat, Accidents at work claimed 3 298 lives in the EU in 2023
| European Union workplace measure | 2023 result | Period or definition |
|---|---|---|
| Nonfatal accidents at work | 2.83 million | 2023 |
| Change in nonfatal accidents | -5%; 148,935 fewer | 2022–2023 |
| Fatal accidents at work | 3,298 | Death within one year of accident |
| Fatal accidents as share of all accidents | 0.1% | 2023 |
| Fatal-accident incidence rate | 1.63 per 100,000 employed people | 2023 |
| Fatal-accident incidence rate | 1.66 per 100,000 employed people | 2022 |
The EU fatal-accident incidence rate has remained below 2 per 100,000 workers since 2016. The 2023 fatal-accident count was 110 lower than in 2013, while the Eurostat definition counts a fatal accident when death occurs within one year; these figures do not measure work-related disease mortality.