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

Health care and social assistance, 2015-2019


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 2019, there was an average of 20,184,056 people employed in the private sector of this industry in 1,639,795 establishments.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In the private health care and social assistance industry during 2019, there were 575,200 total recordable cases (TRC) of nonfatal injuries and illnesses. Of those, 151,400 had days away from work (DAFW), 110,600 had days of job transfer or restriction (DJTR), and 313,200 had other recordable cases (ORC). The total recordable case incidence rate per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 3.8.

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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, 2019
Case characteristic[1]Number of cases

Nature of injury or illness

Sprains, strains, tears

62,020

Soreness, pain

32,110

Bruises, contusions

15,860

Fractures

10,050

Cuts, lacerations

3,910

Part of body affected

Back

32,020

Multiple body parts

21,880

Knee

11,630

Hand

11,620

Shoulder

11,580

Event or exposure leading to injury or illness

Fall on same level

32,350

Overexertion in lifting or lowering

14,740

Intentional injury by other person

14,550

Struck by object or equipment

10,280

Slips, trips without fall

6,290

[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 161 for the health care and social assistance industry during 2019, compared to 149 during 2018.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, health care and social assistance, all United States, 2015-2019
Event or exposure[1][2]20152016201720182019

Total fatal injuries (number)

123128159149161

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

3143484254

Transportation incidents

5135505049

Fires and explosions

----------

Falls, slips, trips

1813231923

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

1930282930

Contact with objects and equipment

----------

[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: August 11, 2021