Workers’ compensation laws are designed to expedite the process of compensating employees for on-the-job injuries. Statistics are regularly gathered regarding the types and causes of workplace injuries in California and across the country. Insurance company Travelers released its 2022 Injury Impact Report examining more than 1.5 million claims filed from 2015 to 2019. The report indicates that 35% of workplace injuries involved people who had been employed with the company for less than one year. Additionally, this group accounted for 6 million workdays missed, 37% of the total number of workdays missed due to injury.
Types and causes of injuries among first-year employees
The most common types of workplace injuries suffered by new employees were sprains and strains, which accounted for 38% of such injuries. Fractures were the second most common type, accounting for 13%. The most common causes of first-year work injuries were overexertion, slip and falls and struck-by accidents, in that order.
First-year injuries by industry
The highest average number of missed workdays was due to construction work injuries, with an average of 98 days missed due to an injury. Transportation and services were second and third with regard to this statistic, with 88 and 59 average days missed, respectively. The percentage of total claims that were made by new employees was highest in the restaurant industry, with construction being a close second. First-year worker claims made up 52% of the total claim costs in the construction industry during the years studied.
Most expensive on the job injuries
The workplace injuries that led to the most expensive first-year worker claims were electric shocks, amputations, dislocations and multiple trauma injuries. The most expensive injuries overall were head traumas, fractures and dislocations. The results of the report highlight the need to provide comprehensive safety training for new workers and sufficient supervision until they know how to perform their jobs safely.
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