Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Automotive service technicians and mechanics, 2016-2020


Background

Automotive service technicians and mechanics diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.

As of May 2020, there were 620,110 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $22.48, and the average annual wage was $46,760.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In private industry for automotive service technicians and mechanics, there were 9,940 nonfatal injury and illness cases involving days away from work in 2020. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 185.9.



Table 1. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by selected case characteristics, automotive service technicians and mechanics, private industry, 2020
Case characteristic[1]Number of cases

Nature of injury or illness

All other natures

2,720

Sprains, strains, tears

2,130

Soreness, pain

1,860

Bruises, contusions

1,190

Cuts, lacerations

1,100

Part of body affected

Hand

2,240

Back

1,120

Body systems

1,100

Knee

880

Shoulder

850

Source of injury or illness

Parts and materials

2,470

All other sources

1,720

Vehicles

1,570

Worker motion or position

1,290

Handtools

1,280

Event or exposure leading to injury or illness

Struck by object or equipment

2,190

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

1,250

Struck against object or equipment

920

Overexertion in lifting or lowering

860

Fall to lower level

550

[1] Data shown correspond to Nature, Part, Source, 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 54 for automotive service technicians and mechanics during 2020, compared to 60 during 2019.


Sources

Wage and employment estimates come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 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