Why Travelers
Impact by Sector
Overall
We analyzed more than 1.2 million workers compensation claims submitted from 2017 through 2021 for the 2024 Travelers Injury Impact Report to identify trends that can inform businesses of all sizes and across all industries. This awareness can assist employers in putting processes and training programs in place that help keep their employees safe and their businesses running.
2024 Travelers Injury Impact Report
Where
5
%
Hazards
Wrist(s)
7
%
Motor vehicle
Finger(s)
10
%
Struck by an object
Knee(s)
11
%
Slips Trips & Falls
Shoulder(s)
12
%
Overexertion
Lower back
Lower back injuries were the most common in all industries except manufacturing, where shoulders were the most frequently injured body parts.
Where on their bodies
are they injured?
Most common body parts injured
Where
When
11%
60+ years old
25%
50-59 years old
32%
35-49 years old
21%
25-34 years old
10%
18-24 years old
Industries most affected by first-year injuries
When are employees getting injured?
When
What
5
%
Hazards
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
5
%
Motor vehicle
Motor vehicle accidents
12
%
Struck by an object
Being struck by an object
23
%
Slips Trips & Falls
Slips, trips and falls
29
%
Overexertion
Overexertion
36% of workplace injuries occurred during a worker’s first year on the job, resulting in almost 7 million missed workdays. First-year injuries made up 34% of all workers compensation claim costs.
The types of injuries that occur on the job may be diverse, so knowing the causes of injuries that occur most frequently can help employers design and implement plans to eliminate or minimize them.
What’s causing injuries?
Most common causes of injury
What
Who
30%
Manufacturing
of claims
35%
Wholesale
of claims
35%
Services
of claims
39%
Retail
of claims
39%
Transportation
of claims
44%
Construction
of claims
52%
Restaurants
of claims
Industries most affected by first-year injuries
Industries most affected by first-year injuries
Who’s getting injured?
Who
Toggle through the sections below to learn more about the nature of on-the-job injuries.
Who, What, When and Where
Overall
Injury
Contusions
30
Strains and sprains
54
Inflammation
85
Fractures
92
Dislocations
142
Injury
Industry
Manufacturing
67
Wholesale
71
Services
72
Transportation
83
Construction
103
Industry
72
days
Average number of lost workdays per injury across all industries
The average number of lost workdays by industry and injury type:
Employee Injury Trends
Why Travelers
When an employee is injured, getting them back to work as soon as medically appropriate is essential to keeping a business running smoothly. Travelers combines leading technology, including digital capabilities, personal connections and resolution excellence, to drive engaging experiences for injured employees and its customers. To support injured employees, Travelers Claim professionals and nurses take a biopsychosocial approach, identifying and addressing the many factors that may affect the recovery process after an injury or illness. This results in an injured employee feeling empowered along their recovery journey, which may lead to lower disability duration, lower claim costs and increased satisfaction with the process.
All data included is Travelers indemnity claim data, in 2017-21 accident years. Zero-dollar claims excluded. Valued 12/31/2022. Losses are unlimited and undeveloped.
Impact by Sector
To learn more about the injury trends in specific industries and among small businesses, click on the boxes below.
Of the most common injury causes, slips, trips and falls were the most frequent and had the highest cost per claim.
Small Business
The most common injuries of first-year small business workers
28%
Strains and sprains
16%
Fractures
11%
Cuts and punctures
8%
Contusions
6%
Dislocations
Most common injuries of first-year small business employees:
The most common causes of large losses
Claims with the greatest impact on injured employees and a cost of $250,000 or more:
· Slips, trips and falls
· Being struck by an object
· Overexertion
· Motor vehicle accidents
· Caught-in or caught-between hazards
The injury impact of first-year employees
44% of all small business injuries were to first-year employees. First-year employees made up 43% of all small business workers compensation claim costs.
30%
Slips, trips and falls
16%
Overexertion
16%
Being struck by an object
11%
Cuts and punctures
5%
Motor vehicle accidents
The most common causes of injury
across all small business workers
31%*
Slips, trips and falls
18%
Overexertion
15%
Being struck by an object
9%
Cuts and punctures
5%
Motor vehicle accidents
Slips, trips and falls had the highest average cost per claim of the most common causes of injury, followed by motor vehicle accidents.
82
Average number of days small business employees missed due to workplace injuries
Of the most common injury causes, slips, trips and falls were the most frequent and had the highest cost per claim.
Small Business
Lower back injuries among wholesale employees were the most common, followed by shoulder injuries.
Wholesale
The injury impact of first-year employees
35%
Overexertion
18%
Slips, trips and falls
15%
Being struck by an object
7%
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
5%
Motor vehicle accidents
35% of all wholesale injuries were to first-year employees.
Most common causes of injury to first-year wholesale employees:
The most common injuries across all wholesale employees
43%
Strains and sprains
12%
Fractures
9%
Contusions
7%
Dislocations
6%
Inflammation
Dislocations were the costliest of the most common injuries.
Shoulder injuries were the costliest of the most common body parts affected.
The most common causes of large losses
Claims with the greatest impact on injured employees and a cost of $250,000 or more:
· Overexertion
· Slips, trips and falls
· Being struck by an object
· Motor vehicle accidents
The most common causes of injury
across all wholesale employees
36%
Overexertion
19%
Slips, trips
and falls
11%
Being struck by an object
6%
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
6%*
Motor vehicle accidents
Motor vehicle accidents had the highest average cost per claim of the most common causes of injury.
71
Average number of days wholesale employees missed due to workplace injuries
While lower back injuries among wholesale employees were the most common, shoulder injuries, a close second, were the costliest of the most common injuries.
Wholesale
Of the most common injuries, shoulder injuries were the most frequent and the most expensive.
Manufacturing
The injury impact of first-year employees
31%
Overexertion
14%
Slips, trips and falls
13%
Being struck by an object
9%
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
6%
Cuts and punctures
30% of all manufacturing injuries were to first-year employees.
Most common causes of injury to first-year manufacturing employees:
The most common injuries across all manufacturing employees
37%
Strains and sprains
12%
Fractures
9%
Inflammation
7%
Contusions
5%
Dislocations
Dislocations were the costliest of the most common injuries.
Shoulder injuries were the costliest of the most common body parts affected.
The most common causes of large losses
Claims with the greatest impact on injured employees and a cost of $250,000 or more:
· Overexertion
· Slips, trips and falls
· Being struck by an object
· Caught-in or caught-between hazards
· Motor vehicle accidents
The most common causes of injury across all manufacturing employees
34%
Overexertion
16%*
Slips, trips and falls
10%
Being struck by an object
8%
Repetitive
motion
7%
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
Slips, trips and falls had the highest average cost per claim of the most common causes of injury.
67
Average number of days manufacturing employees missed due to workplace injuries
Of the most common injuries, shoulder injuries were the most frequent and the most expensive.
MANUFACTURING
Construction workers compensation claims were the most expensive – almost double the all-industries average.
Construction
The injury impact of first-year employees
48%
Slips, trips and falls
16%
Being struck by an object
12%
Overexertion
6%
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
4%
Cuts and punctures
44% of all construction injuries were to first-year employees. First-year injuries drove 48% of all construction workers compensation claim costs.
Most common causes of injury to first-year construction employees:
The most severe injuries in construction
The most severe injuries were:
· Amputations
· Cardiovascular injuries
· Electric shocks
· Multiple traumas
· Head traumas
· Dislocations
The most common causes of large losses
· Caught-in or caught-between hazards
· Motor vehicle accidents
· Overexertion
· Being struck by an object
· Slips, trips and falls
Claims with the greatest impact on injured employees and a cost of $250,000 or more:
103
Average number of days construction workers missed due to workplace injuries
Construction workers compensation claims were the most expensive – almost double the all-industries average.
Construction
35% of workplace injuries occurred during a worker’s first year on the job, resulting in more than 6 million missed workdays.
First-year injuries made up 32% of all workers compensation claim costs.
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
Caused by being caught in, under or between machines or machinery, objects being handled or collapsing materials.
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
Motor vehicle accidents
Caused by collisions or sideswipes with other vehicles, overturned vehicles or collisions with fixed objects.
Motor vehicle accidents
Motor vehicle accidents
Being struck by an object
Caused by falling or flying objects, being struck by motor vehicles or being struck by objects being lifted or handled.
Being struck by an object
Being struck by an object
Overexertion
Caused by lifting, twisting, pushing or pulling.
Overexertion
Overexertion
Slips, trips and falls
Caused by falls from heights, falls from ladders or scaffolding, or slips, trips and falls on the same level.
Slips, trips and falls
Slips, trips and falls
Claims with the greatest impact on injured employees and a cost of $250,000 or more
The Most Common Causes of Large Losses
% of incurred costs
% of claims
% of claims
% of claims
% of claims
% of claims
% of claims
% of claims
% of claims
Most common causes of injury to first-year small business employees:
As a key partner to thousands of businesses throughout the United States, Travelers knows that safe and engaged employees drive strong and productive businesses. To help customers develop a safer workforce, Travelers developed Travelers Workforce Advantage®, a comprehensive approach consisting of three main areas of focus: supporting and engaging employees to create a culture of safety; onboarding and training; and attracting and hiring qualified candidates.
Age can also play a factor in injuries.
Percentage of injuries by age group
The Most Common Causes of Large Losses
Claims with the greatest impact on injured employees and a cost of $250,000 or more
When an employee is injured, getting them back to work as soon as medically appropriate is essential to keeping a business running smoothly. Travelers combines leading technology, including digital capabilities, personal connections and resolution excellence, to drive engaging experiences for injured employees and its customers. To support injured employees, Travelers Claim professionals and nurses take a biopsychosocial approach, identifying and addressing the many factors that may affect the recovery process after an injury or illness. This results in an injured employee feeling empowered along their recovery journey, which may lead to lower disability duration, lower claim costs and increased satisfaction with the process.
For more information, visit travelers.com.
Most common causes of injury across all manufacturing employees:
% of claims
Most common causes of injury across all wholesale employees:
% of claims
Most common causes of injury across all wholesale employees:
Most common causes of injury across all wholesale employees:
Most common causes of injury across all small business employees:
Lower back injuries among wholesale employees were the most common, followed by shoulder injuries.
16%*
*
*
Overall
Impact by Sector
Why Travelers
*
*
*
*
*
31%
We analyzed more than 1.2 million workers compensation claims submitted from 2017 through 2021 for the 2024 Travelers Injury Impact Report to identify trends that can inform businesses of all sizes and across all industries. This awareness can assist employers in putting processes and training programs in place that help keep their employees safe and their businesses running.
2024 Travelers Injury Impact Report
Why Travelers
Impact by Sector
Overall
Injury
Contusions
30
Strains and sprains
54
Inflammation
85
Fractures
92
Dislocations
142
Injury
Industry
Manufacturing
67
Wholesale
71
Services
72
Transportation
83
Construction
103
Industry
72
days
Average number of lost workdays per injury across all industries
The average number of lost workdays by industry and injury type:
Employee Injury Trends
Where
5
%
Hazards
Wrist(s)
7
%
Motor vehicle
Finger(s)
10
%
Struck by an object
Knee(s)
11
%
Slips Trips & Falls
Shoulder(s)
12
%
Overexertion
Lower back
Most common body parts injured
36% of workplace injuries occurred during a worker’s first year on the job, resulting in almost 7 million missed workdays. First-year injuries made up 34% of all workers compensation claim costs.
Lower back injuries were the most common in all industries except manufacturing, where shoulders were the most frequently injured body parts.
Where on their bodies
are they injured?
Where
When
11%
60+ years old
25%
50-59 years old
32%
35-49 years old
21%
25-34 years old
10%
18-24 years old
Industries most affected by first-year injuries
Percentage of injuries by age group
When are employees getting injured?
Age can also play a factor in injuries.
When
What
5
%
Hazards
Caught-in or caught-between hazards
5
%
Motor vehicle
Motor vehicle accidents
12
%
Struck by an object
Being struck by an object
23
%
Slips Trips & Falls
Slips, trips and falls
29
%
Overexertion
Overexertion
Most common causes of injury
36% of workplace injuries occurred during a worker’s first year on the job, resulting in almost 7 million missed workdays. First-year injuries made up 34% of all workers compensation claim costs.
The types of injuries that occur on the job may be diverse, so knowing the causes of injuries that occur most frequently can help employers design and implement plans to eliminate or minimize them.
What’s causing injuries?
What
Who
30%
Manufacturing
of claims
35%
Wholesale
of claims
35%
Services
of claims
39%
Retail
of claims
39%
Transportation
of claims
44%
Construction
of claims
52%
Restaurants
of claims
Industries most affected by first-year injuries
35% of workplace injuries occurred during a worker’s first year on the job, resulting in more than 6 million missed workdays.
First-year injuries made up 32% of all workers compensation claim costs.
Industries most affected by first-year injuries
Who’s getting injured?
Who
Toggle through the sections below to learn more about the nature of on-the-job injuries.
Who, What, When and Where
Overall
REPORT
IMPACT
INJURY
Travelers
2024