Employee injuries, illnesses down 3.1 percent in 2024

In 2024, private industry employers reported 2.5 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses, down 3.1 percent from 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This was driven by a 26 percent decrease in illness cases to 148,000, which in turn was due to a 46.1 percent decrease in respiratory illness cases to 54,000, the lowest reported number since 2019.

During 2023-2024, the greatest number of cases involving days away from work, job restriction, or transfer (DART) were caused by overexertion, repetitive motion, and bodily conditions, followed by contact incidents.

Also of note, no industry sector saw a total recordable cases (TRC) rate increase in 2024. And, the TRC rate decreased in five industry sectors: healthcare and social assistance, retail trade, manufacturing, real estate, and rental and leasing.

The full report, Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, can be found at bls.gov.