Length of work absences due to injuries and illnesses, 2003

The median days away from work for all cases of lost-worktime injuries and illnesses was 8 days in 2003, up from 7 in 2002. Over one-fourth of the cases resulted in 31 days or more away from work.

[Chart data—TXT]

Among events or exposures leading to an injury serious enough to require taking a day or more off the job, repetitive motion, such as grasping tools, scanning groceries, and typing, resulted in the longest absences from work—a median of 22 days. Falls to a lower level resulted in the next longest absences from work with a median of 15 days, followed by transportation accidents with a median of 14 days.

Median days away from work—a measure of severity of lost-worktime injuries and illnesses—designates the point at which half the cases involved more days and half involved fewer days.

These data are from the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. Additional information is available from "Lost-Worktime Injuries and Illnesses: Characteristics and Resulting Days Away From Work, 2003" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 05-521.