The 10 Workplace Injuries that Cost US Employers the Most Money

If you are an employer, there is no doubt that workplace injuries top your list of concerns. You have every right to worry. Based on data from the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, in 2013, accidents and injuries at work, which caused employees to miss six or more days of work, cost US employers $62 billion dollars. In addition to paying for the cost of the accident, and a portion of the worker's pay, employers also have to hire temps, manage a loss in productivity, and a disruption in quality. Even the reputation of the company can be damaged.

According to the 2016 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, $51 billion of the total $62 billion is due to the 10 most common work-related injuries. Understanding these serious but nonfatal injuries can help employers improve safety and their bottom line.

Here is a list of the top 10 causes of US workplace injuries:

10.    Repetitive Motion

Repetitive motion due to micro-tasks takes tenth place at 2.9% and $1.82 billion. These kinds of tasks include things like running a computer and making identical movements over and over, or a cashier scanning and bagging over and over again.

9.    Impact against Something

This is number nine and accounts for 3% of workplace injuries and $1.85 billion. This happens when an employee bumps or hits an object at work. This can be a warehouse worker stubbing a toe on a pallet or a secretary bumping into the fax machine.

8.    Caught between Something

Coming in 8th, at 3.2% and $1.97 billion is an employee getting caught between objects or equipment that is still running, moving, or sliding. This could be a falling stack of boxes that lands on an employee or a factory worker getting their hand caught in a machine.

7.    Slipping or Tripping without Falling

The 7th place injury is slipping or tripping, with 3.8% of the accidents and costing $2.35 billion. Although the employee doesn't hit the ground, they can hurt themselves. For instance, they may pull their shoulder out of joint, by grabbing a rail as they fall, or hurt their knee as they try to prevent themselves from falling.

6.    Motor Vehicle Accidents

Accidents on the road come in 6th place (4.8% of accidents) at a cost of $2.96 billion. These accidents include employees that are driving the vehicle, riding as a passenger, or simply walking along the roadway, and being struck by a vehicle.

5.    Exertions

At 5th place is an employee exerting themselves in some way, costing employers $4.15 billion and accounting for 6.7% of all workplace accidents. These exertions include things such as climbing, twisting, reaching, bending, crawling, or stepping.

4.    Struck by Object

In 4th place, at 8.6% of workplace injuries, is an employee being struck by an object or piece of equipment. This can happen if something is dropped by another employee from above, or by something like a door swinging back onto an employee, who is trying to get through with boxes in their hands. These injuries account for $5.31 billion a year.

3.    Falling down a Level

You might think of this 3rd place injury as something that happens only on construction sites, with someone falling off a ladder or roof. However, an office worker falling off a step stool onto the floor also qualifies. These injuries account for 8.7% of all workplace injuries, costing employers $5.4 billion

2.    Falling on the Same Level

Falling down is the second most common workplace injury, coming in at 16.4% of all injuries. This can happen if someone trips over an uneven surface and hits the floor, trips going up or down steps, or falls out of a chair that was leaning back too far. These types of accidents cost employers $10.17 billion a year.

1.    Overexertion

The number one injury, coming in at nearly a quarter of all injuries, is overexertion while doing something with an object. This could be pulling, pushing, lifting, holding, carrying, or even throwing an object and getting hurt in the process. Most of the time, the object is either too heavy for the employee, too unwieldy, or is being maneuvered improperly. Injuries tend to be muscle tears, strains, and sprains.

Anyone involved in risk management should work with their safety specialists to reduce the risk of injuries. This will prevent lost work days and lower workers' compensation costs. Look over this list, and then look for ways you can minimize these risks at your own place of business. Identifying action steps to improve policies will save you money and make your employees safer.