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Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Health care and social assistance, 2016-2020


Background

The health care and social assistance sector is comprised of establishments providing medical care as well as wellness and social services to individuals.

As of 2020, there was an average of 19,550,905 people employed in the private sector of this industry in 1,746,923 establishments.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In the private health care and social assistance industry during 2020, there were 806,200 total recordable cases (TRC) of nonfatal injuries and illnesses. Of those, 447,900 had days away from work (DAFW), 91,300 had days of job transfer or restriction (DJTR), and 267,000 had other recordable cases (ORC). The total recordable case incidence rate per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 5.5.



Table 1. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by selected case characteristics, health care and social assistance, private industry, 2020
Case characteristic[1]Number of cases

Nature of injury or illness

Sprains, strains, tears

65,120

Soreness, pain

38,410

Bruises, contusions

14,010

Fractures

9,860

Multiple traumatic injuries with sprains

3,420

Part of body affected

Body systems

293,940

Back

34,660

Multiple body parts

20,620

Knee

13,790

Shoulder

13,780

Event or exposure leading to injury or illness

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

296,470

Fall on same level

33,330

Overexertion in lifting or lowering

15,430

Intentional injury by other person

15,210

Struck by object or equipment

10,340

[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 128 for the health care and social assistance industry during 2020, compared to 161 during 2019.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, health care and social assistance, all United States, 2016-2020
Event or exposure[1][2]20162017201820192020

Total fatal injuries (number)

128159149161128

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

4348425434

Transportation incidents

3550504928

Fires and explosions

----------

Falls, slips, trips

1323192321

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

3028293041

Contact with objects and equipment

--5------

[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: February 11, 2022