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

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers, 2015‐2019

Background

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.

As of May 2019, there were 912,660 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $15.56 and the average annual wage was $32,360.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In private industry for this occupation, there were 12,380 nonfatal injury and illness cases requiring days away from work during 2019. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 185.

View data

Table 1. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by selected case characteristics, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, private industry, 2019
Case characteristic^[1]	Number of cases
Nature of injury or illness
Sprains, strains, tears	3,140
All other natures	2,900
Soreness, pain	2,410
Cuts, lacerations	2,010
Fractures	720
Part of body affected
Hand	1,840
Back	1,490
Multiple body parts	1,170
Knee	950
Ankle	750
Source of injury or illness
All other sources	4,050
Handtools	2,040
Worker motion or position	1,660
Vehicles	1,190
Machinery	1,070
Event or exposure leading to injury or illness
Struck by object or equipment	2,680
Animal and insect related incidents	1,160
Fall on same level	1,120
Slips, trips without fall	870
Struck against object or equipment	770
^[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 124 for landscaping and groundskeeping workers during 2019, compared to 142 during 2018.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, all United States, 2015-2019
Event or exposure	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Total fatal injuries (number)	111	125	109	142	124
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals	11	9	8	7	–
Transportation incidents	47	62	42	50	49
Fires and explosions	–	–	–	–	–
Falls, slips, trips	22	23	18	22	26
Exposure to harmful substances or environments	15	13	19	35	29
Contact with objects and equipment	15	17	21	26	14
^[1] CFOI data by event are only provided if there are fatal case counts in three or more of the six event categories. For more information visit: https://www.bls.gov/iif/overview/cfoi.htm. ^[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

Wage and employment estimates come from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) 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 and CFOI program concepts and definitions see the SOII Handbook of Methods and the CFOI Handbook of Methods.

Last Modified Date: August 5, 2021