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Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Retail salespersons, 2015‐2019


Background

Retail salespersons help customers find products they want and may process customers payments. They work in stores where they sell goods, such as books, cars, clothing, cosmetics, electronics, furniture, lumber, plants, shoes, and many other types of merchandise.

As of May 2019, there were 4,317,950 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $14.12 and the average annual wage was $29,360.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In private industry for this occupation, there were 24,870 nonfatal injury and illness cases requiring days away from work during 2019. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 80.2.



Table 1. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by selected case characteristics, retail salespersons, private industry, 2019
Case characteristic[1]Number of cases

Nature of injury or illness

Sprains, strains, tears

8,560

Bruises, contusions

4,050

All other natures

3,680

Soreness, pain

3,420

Fractures

2,200

Part of body affected

Back

4,160

Knee

2,830

Hand

2,390

Foot

2,260

Multiple body parts

1,960

Source of injury or illness

Floors, walkways, ground surfaces

5,600

Containers

4,810

Vehicles

2,680

Worker motion or position

2,640

All other sources

2,480

Event or exposure leading to injury or illness

Fall on same level

5,640

Struck by object or equipment

5,030

Overexertion in lifting or lowering

3,420

Struck against object or equipment

1,770

Fall to lower level

1,080

[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 36 for retail salespersons during 2019, compared to 46 during 2018.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, retail salespersons, all United States, 2015-2019
Event or exposure[1][2]20152016201720182019

Total fatal injuries (number)

3433434636

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

1612191116

Transportation incidents

710965

Fires and explosions

----------

Falls, slips, trips

87716--

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

----688

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. 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: February 5, 2021