Workplace injuries cost a total of $176.5 billion in 2023. This includes $53.1 billion in lost wages and productivity, $36.8 billion in medical expenses and $59.5 billion in administrative costs.
The National Safety Council reports that another $15.7 billion was spent on employers’ uninsured costs, including the value of lost time from workers other than those who were directly or indirectly involved in the injury and the cost of time required to investigate injuries. A total of $5.9 billion in damages to motor vehicles in work-related injuries was reported, along with injury-related fire losses of $5.6 billion.
Each workplace injury that involved consulting with a medical professional cost an average of $43,000, while deaths on the job cost around $1.46 million each when considering lost wages, medical costs, administrative expenses and other related employer costs.
The most recent data from the NSC on specific workplace injuries reveals that the top causes of cases that led to days away from work, job restriction or transfer (DART cases) from 2021 to 2022 involved overexertion and bodily reaction; exposure to harmful substances or environments; and slips, trips and falls. Altogether, these hazards accounted for more than 75% of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses that required time away from work.
Of course, OSHA and other workplace safety rules exist to prevent these kinds of costly and devastating injuries. In the slideshow above, we’ll look at the ten most frequently cited standards according to OSHA data.
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