New workers account for more than a third of injuries, comp claims show

Hartford, CT — More than a third of work-related injuries occur during people’s first year on the job – resulting in more than 6 million missed workdays, according to a new report.

For its 2024 Injury Impact Report, insurance provider The Travelers Cos. used data from more than 1.2 million workers’ compensation claims submitted from various businesses and industries between 2017 and 2021.

Among the findings:

• Employees in their first year on the job accounted for 35% of the claims.
• The average number of missed workdays was 79.
• The construction industry had the highest average number of missed workdays per claim (103), followed by transportation (83).

The top five causes of injuries:

1. Overexertion (29% of the claims)
2. Slips, trips and falls (23%)
3. Struck by an object (12%)
4. Motor vehicle-related incidents (5%)
5. Caught in/between hazards (5%)

Overexertion injuries included those caused by lifting, twisting, pulling or pushing.

“Factors such as inexperience, workforce shortages and maintenance issues are all contributing to these unfortunate and often avoidable accidents,” Rich Ives, senior vice president of business insurance claims at Travelers, said in a press release. “While the number of injuries overall has been trending downward in recent years, our analysis shows that there’s never been a better time for businesses to invest in workplace safety and injury prevention.”