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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities > Publications > Snapshots

Transportation and warehousing, 2016-2020

Background

The transportation and warehousing sector includes industries that provide transportation of passengers and cargo, warehousing and storage for goods, sightseeing transportation, and support activities related to modes of transportation.

As of 2020, there was an average of 5,547,576 people employed in the private sector of this industry in 271,535 establishments.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In the private transportation and warehousing industry during 2020, there were 206,900 total recordable cases (TRC) of nonfatal injuries and illnesses. Of those, 99,800 had days away from work (DAFW), 57,000 had days of job transfer or restriction (DJTR), and 50,100 had other recordable cases (ORC). The total recordable case incidence rate per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 4.0.

View data

Table 1. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by selected case characteristics, transportation and warehousing, private industry, 2020
Case characteristic^[1]	Number of cases
Nature of injury or illness
Sprains, strains, tears	42,280
Soreness, pain	15,630
Bruises, contusions	10,370
Fractures	7,790
Cuts, lacerations	3,900
Part of body affected
Back	16,910
Shoulder	9,840
Knee	9,370
Multiple body parts	8,540
Hand	8,030
Event or exposure leading to injury or illness
Struck by object or equipment	12,100
Overexertion in lifting or lowering	11,950
Fall on same level	10,940
Fall to lower level	6,750
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles	6,430
^[1] Data shown correspond to Nature, Part, and Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

Fatal occupational injuries

Fatal work injuries totaled 846 for the transportation and warehousing industry during 2020, compared to 948 during 2019.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, transportation and warehousing, all United States, 2016-2020
Event or exposure^[1][2]	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Total fatal injuries (number)	856	916	909	948	846
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	69	73	55	88	62
Transportation incidents	617	656	661	677	602
Fires and explosions	6	7	11	10	--
Falls, slips, trips	51	51	49	46	41
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	49	60	56	56	72
Contact with objects and equipment	62	65	75	71	65
^[1] CFOI data by event are only provided if there are fatal case counts in three or more of the six event categories. ^[2] Data shown correspond to Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Note: Dashes indicate data do not meet BLS publication guidelines. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

Sources

Employment data come from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. Injury and illness information come from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). For more information on SOII program concepts, see the definitions page and the SOII Handbook of Methods. For more information on CFOI program concepts, see the definitions page and the CFOI Handbook of Methods.

Last Modified Date: January 5, 2022