Injuries and illnesses cost U.S. employers $58.7 billion in 2023

Boston — U.S. employers incurred $58.7 billion in costs from workplace injuries and illnesses in 2023, with the top 10 causes accounting for about 85% of the total, according to the latest Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index.

Of that overall amount, $49.9 billion went toward the top 10 causes.

Data sources and index methodology

When compiling the index, the insurer used its own information, customized data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and data from the National Academy of Social Insurance. BLS nonfatal injury data are analyzed with the Liberty Mutual data to determine which events caused employees to miss more than five days of work and then to rank those events by workers’ compensation costs, which are then scaled to the NASI total cost, according to a Liberty Mutual press release. Each index is based on data three years prior, so the 2026 index reflects 2023 data.

Costliest injury category

“Overexertion involving outside sources” was the costliest source of injury, making up 26% of the top 10 causes of injuries and illnesses cost and totaling nearly $13.1 billion in direct costs.

Remaining top 10 categories

The remaining top 10 costliest categories were:

• Falls on the same level ($9.9 billion)
• Struck by object or equipment ($6.2 billion)
• Falls to a lower level ($5.2 billion)
• Slip or trip without a fall ($3.8 billion)
• Other exertions or bodily reactions ($3.23 billion)
• Roadway incidents ($3.22 billion)
• Struck against object or equipment ($1.79 billion)
• Intentional injury by person ($1.75 billion)
• Repetitive motions involving microtasks ($1.6 billion)

“In any industry, gaining control of these costs starts with knowing which injuries have the most impact on medical expenses and lost-wage payments,” Liberty Mutual said in the release. “Use this year’s top 10 list as your guide and then refine your strategy.”

according to Safety+Health Magazine.