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

Transportation and warehousing, 2015-2019

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 2019, there was an average of 5,491,748 people employed in the private sector of this industry in 262,049 establishments.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In the private transportation and warehousing industry during 2019, there were 227,900 total recordable cases (TRC) of nonfatal injuries and illnesses. Of those, 103,600 had days away from work (DAFW), 62,600 had days of job transfer or restriction (DJTR), and 61,700 had other recordable cases (ORC). The total recordable case incidence rate per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 4.4.

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, 2019
Case characteristic^[1]	Number of cases
Nature of injury or illness
Sprains, strains, tears	45,830
Soreness, pain	15,410
Bruises, contusions	10,990
Fractures	8,150
Cuts, lacerations	4,140
Part of body affected
Back	18,090
Knee	11,390
Shoulder	9,790
Multiple body parts	9,460
Hand	8,900
Event or exposure leading to injury or illness
Struck by object or equipment	13,080
Overexertion in lifting or lowering	12,920
Fall on same level	12,900
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles	8,390
Fall to lower level	5,630
^[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 948 for the transportation and warehousing industry during 2019, compared to 909 during 2018.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, transportation and warehousing, all United States, 2015-2019
Event or exposure^[1][2]	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Total fatal injuries (number)	799	856	916	909	948
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	63	69	73	55	88
Transportation incidents	615	617	656	661	677
Fires and explosions	9	6	7	11	10
Falls, slips, trips	31	51	51	49	46
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	20	49	60	56	56
Contact with objects and equipment	57	62	65	75	71
^[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