NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Workplace Injuries and Illnesses Decline in New York

 

Rates Remain High in Some Private Sector Industries

Workplace injuries and illnesses among private sector businesses in New York declined nearly 18% between 2014 and 2024, falling to 122,400 incidents, according to a new report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Fewer than two workers per 100 were injured or fell ill on the job in 2024; however, rates in several subsectors were significantly higher.

“New York’s private sector workplaces have become safer over the last decade,” DiNapoli said. “These improvements are meaningful, considering the size of New York’s workforce and the ripple effects these incidents can have on business operations and economic activity. However, some industries have a persistently high rate of injuries and illnesses. Strengthening safety practices in workplaces with chronically high injuries and illnesses can reduce workplace disruptions and, most importantly, protect workers’ health and lives.”

Workplace injuries declined sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and have remained lower than pre-pandemic levels, which averaged 136,250 incidents annually from 2014-2019. The steep decline may reflect the rise in the number of people working from home. In contrast, workplace illnesses spiked during the pandemic. Although they have since declined, illnesses were higher than the pre-pandemic annual average by more than 1,000 cases.

In 2024, 1.9 per 100 workers in New York were injured or fell ill on the job, lower than the national average of 2.3. However, rates were higher than the statewide average in six industries, including transportation and warehousing (4 per 100 workers), health care and social assistance (2.8), retail trade (2.8), leisure and hospitality (2.5), manufacturing (2.5), and natural resources and mining (2.3). However, rates for these sectors were lower in New York than nationally.

Each industry is comprised of subsectors, and 33 of the 61 subsectors had higher rates of injuries and illnesses than their industry averages. Couriers and messengers reported the highest rate at 7.5 per 100 workers, followed by air transportation (6), and warehousing and storage (5.3). Accommodation (leisure and hospitality) and nursing home and residential facilities (health care and social assistance) were the only other subsectors with rates above 5 per 100 employees. In each of these subsectors, more than 1 in 20 workers fell sick or got injured on their job in 2024.

DiNapoli’s report also found:

• New York’s 2024 statewide average of 1.9 incidents per 100 workers was the fifth-lowest rate among reporting states and Washington D.C.
• The number of incidents that required days away from work, restricted job duties, or job transfers fell to 1.1 per 100 workers in 2024, the lowest since 1995. However, the share of all incidents in 2024 with these results increased to 58%, up from 50% in 1995 and 54% in 2014.
• The most common workplace injuries and illnesses in New York for the biennial period 2023 - 2024 were sprains, strains, and tears (51,420), with the coronavirus the top illness for workers.
• The overwhelming majority (81%) of injuries and illnesses were due to three sources: overexertion or repetitive motion; contact incidents, such as contact with heavy machinery or electricity; and falls, slips and trips.

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