A new national analysis of federal injury data shows that several of the most injury-prone industries in America sit at the core of U.S. supply chains. The report, published by The Schiller Kessler Group, found 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in the most recent year of data, with nearly 1 million cases serious enough to cause days away from work.
The study gives a close look at where risks are concentrated and how injuries continue to affect productivity and day-to-day operations. It also highlights how physically demanding many supply-chain roles remain, from warehouse picking and loading to manufacturing lines and retail stockrooms.
While health care tops the list overall, supply-chain sectors like manufacturing, retail, transportation and warehousing, and wholesale trade make up a large share of the top 10 industries where lifting and equipment use are part of the job. The findings are based on injury and illness data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Rank | Industry | Total Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care & Social Assistance | 562,500 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 355,800 |
| 3 | Retail Trade | 353,900 |
| 4 | Transportation & Warehousing | 279,800 |
| 5 | Accommodation & Food Services | 247,200 |
| 6 | Construction | 167,700 |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 156,400 |
| 8 | Administrative & Waste Services | 149,700 |
| 9 | Professional & Business Services | 134,900 |
| 10 | Ambulatory Health Care Services | 133,100 |
The supply-chain sectors in this list share similar risks: lifting, loading, stocking, forklift traffic, long shifts, and tight schedules that increase strain and accident potential. Transportation and warehousing alone reported nearly 280,000 cases, reflecting the physical demands of moving freight, handling pallets, and working on busy loading docks.
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The cost of injuries for logistics and manufacturing
Beyond the human impact, the financial cost is significant. The report cites National Safety Council estimates that put the total annual cost of work-related injuries at more than $167 billion, including medical bills, lost wages, administrative costs, and lost productivity. That works out to about $1.2 million every hour.
For supply chain operators, those costs show up as:
- Higher workers’ compensation and insurance costs
- Lost workdays and unplanned overtime
- Delays, missed service levels, and order backlogs
- Extra hiring and training when experienced workers leave
The study notes that each disabling injury can cost employers an average of $44,000 in direct and indirect costs, with severe cases that require time away from work climbing far higher.
