Women experience 70% of nonfatal workplace assault injuries, NSC data shows

Itasca, IL — A recent analysis from the National Safety Council shows that 70 percent of all assault-related injuries requiring days away from work occur to women.

The number of women who incurred assault-related injuries at work in 2017 totaled 12,820 – a 60 percent increase since 2011. In contrast, 5,530 men sustained assault-related work injuries during the same period.

Other work-related injuries and illnesses that disproportionately impact women include unintentional injury by another person (59 percent), falls on the same level (57 percent) and ergonomic issues, such as complications from repetitive motion (61 percent).

“Our workplaces should be safe havens for everyone, and these data show us we can do more to protect women in the workplace,” Nick Smith, interim president and CEO of NSC, said in a March 12 press release. “As employers examine the biggest risks facing their workforce, we urge them to consider these trends and make sure safety is extending to all employees.”

To observe Women’s History Month, NSC is encouraging workplaces to review their Employee Assistance Programs to ensure they include appropriate support resources. Employers also should examine historical safety trends involving women in the workplace so safety measures are addressed for those most vulnerable to injury.

Data on workplace injuries and illnesses, including assaults, is available on Injury Facts, an online source of preventable death and injury statistics compiled by NSC for nearly 100 years.