New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that workplace injury numbers fell to a more than 20-year low.
Although the 2025 data won’t be in for some time, the Bureau recently published injury data for the year 2024, and they found that there were 2.5 million nonfatal workplace injuries that year, down about 3 percent from 2023. Moreover, that total represents the lowest number since 2003.
“When you have a robust system of government, industry, and labor working together you see these numbers go down,” said Douglas Parker, former head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
What’s Driving The Decline?
Experts in the industry say a few different factors have helped the US better protect workers. They credit:
- A strategic shift in safety culture
- A decline in Covid-19-related respiratory illnesses
- OSHA’s focus on high-hazard sectors
- Advancements in automation
The further we get away from the pandemic, the more we’re seeing a decline in workplace respiratory illnesses. The data shows that workers reported 148,000 illnesses in 2024, a 26% drop from 2023. Additionally, there were only 54,000 respiratory illnesses reported in 2024, the lowest since the Covid-19 outbreak. They believe employers have worked to reduce infectious disease transmission with multi-layered approaches, including being more open to remote and hybrid work environments to reduce the spread of airborne diseases.
Another impressive finding from the BLS data was that no industry had an increased rate of injury in 2024. Two major industries – healthcare and manufacturing – saw increased regulatory attention at the state and federal level, which likely played a part in the decrease these injuries both saw in minor and major injuries that resulted in time away from work. Obviously things are not perfect in the healthcare sector, especially when it comes to violence against healthcare workers in Minnesota, but overall it’s a step in the right direction.
Experts credit advancements in automation and robotics for helping push the decline in workplace injuries in sectors like manufacturing and warehousing. Technological advancements are ensuring that high risk tasks can now be carried out by a machine instead of a human. They also noted that automation is playing a role in the reduction of injuries tied to overexertion and repetitive motion, which contributed to the highest number of days away from work, with 946,000 cases in 2024.
It’s encouraging that the numbers are trending in the right direction, but 2.5 million workplace injuries is still far too many. Hopefully employers continue to push for safety measures that keep these numbers heading in the right direction, but know that we’re here for you in the event that an injury happens.
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury at work and is curious about the possibility of pursuing injury compensation, take a free consultation with Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm. Give our team a call today at (952) 230-2700.
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