Workplace Injuries Costs Near $60B Per Year; Overexertion, Falls Top Causes

Liberty Mutual’s latest Workplace Safety Index has found that workplace accidents cost U.S. employers about $58.8 billion annually.

The top 10 causes of injuries account for 86% of those costs, or $50.87 billion.

The index marks its 25th year identifying the top 10 causes of the most serious workplace injuries—those causing an employee to miss more than five days of work—and ranking them by their medical and lost-wage payments.

Even as the rate of serious workplace accidents fell by about 40% over the 25 years represented by the Index, the total cost of workers compensation benefits increased by 30%, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and National Academy of Social Insurance.

Overexertion involving outside sources remains the the top cause, accounting for $13.7 billion in costs, largely due to manual material handling. This has held true for 25 years.

Falls on the same level is the second leading cause, with $10.5 billion in costs, emphasizing the need for slip, trip, and fall prevention strategies, according to the Workplace Safety Index.

“Struck by object or equipment” and “falls to a lower level” also continue to be major injury drivers, together accounting for nearly $11.6 billion in costs.

Injuries due to other exertions and bodily reactions, roadway incidents, and caught-in or compressed by equipment also feature prominently in the top 10, underlining the diverse risks present in today’s workplaces.

While still making the top ten, costs associated with Repetitive motion injuries from micro tasks has dipped by 44%. The report outlines safety efforts are helping to reduce these types of injuries.

Workers being Struck against object or equipment rounded out the top ten causes of workplace injuries, totaling $1.7 billion in costs.

The report found that more than half (56%) of workplace injuries involving the back, shoulder, knee or multiple body parts drive nearly $32.6 billion in costs.

Seven of this year’s top 10 injury causes appeared in all 25 indices.

Each index is based on data three years prior. Accordingly, the 2025 index reflects 2022 data.

Topics Workers' Compensation Commercial Lines Business Insurance