PA Workers' Compensation Statistics

Every year thousands of people are hurt on the job and apply for PA workers' compensation. Unfortunately, many things can happen to jeopardize an employee's right to collect the compensation he or she deserves. Acceptance rates are historically low - it's important to hire an experienced attorney when filing for workers' compensation to make sure you never miss a step.

The following figures were the most up-to-date statistics at the time of our latest research.

If you have any questions, or require more recent information, please refer to our sources at the bottom of this page for more information.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics - 2018

• In 2018, there were a total of 39,322 petitions filed - a decrease from 2017
• There were 69 fatal workers' comp petitions filed - tied for the lowest in the last five years
• Roughly 173,267 workplace injuries were reported in 2018
• The greatest amount of injuries occured in the Education and Health Services field (48,415) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities field (44,759)
• The most frequent types of injuries in those fields were sprains and strains
• The most frequent causes of injury were overexertion (30 percent) and being struck by something (26 percent)
• 57.1 percent of injured workers were male

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics - 2016

• In PA, there were 9,375 claim petitions filed in 2016, up from 9,171 in 2015.
• There were 69 fatal claim petitions, the lowest of the last six years. In the last six years, the highest number of fatal claim petitions was 99 in 2012.
• In 2016 there were 159,162 reported work injuries and illnesses. More than half of the total cases occurred in either Educational & Health Services (44,723) or Trade, Transportation, & Utilities (41,323).
• The most prevalent cause of injury in 2016 was overexertion (26.2 percent), followed by being struck by object (20.4 percent).
• The 25-29 age group suffered the highest number of injuries (12.3 percent), followed by 50-54 (11.5 percent).
• 57. 8 percent of injured workers in 2016 were male. Additionally 67 of the 77 fatality cases were male, while three were female, and seven did not disclose gender.
• The sector with the highest rate of injury and illness was “building material and garden supply stores” with 101.4 injuries per 1,000 workers.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics - 2014

• By August, 3,364 workers' compensation applications had been filed in Pennsylvania.
• Injured Pennsylvania workers received $105,038,853 in compensation and medical care.
• By August, only about 33% of workers' compensation claims were accepted.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics - 2010

• There were 85,560 work injury and illness cases reported in 2010 in Pennsylvania - a decrease of 3.8 percent.
• There were 111 work-related fatalities reported in 2010 in Pennsylvania, which was an increase of 11 from 2009.
• The average weekly wage/compensation rate was $845 in 2010 in Pennsylvania.
• Approximately 67.5% of work-related injuries and illnesses occurred in Manufacturing, Educational & Health Services, Professional & Business Services and Trade, and Transportation & Utilities.
• Seven of the 12 major industry divisions had a decrease in work-related illnesses and injuries, while five had an increase.
• There were 11,282 work injuries and illnesses related to the Manufacturing industry.
• There were 19,608 work injuries and illnesses related to the Trade, Transportation, & Utilities industries.
• There were 8,034 work injuries and illnesses related to the Professional & Business Services industries.
• There were 18,876 work injuries and illnesses related to the Educational & Health Services industries.
• There were 6,979 work injuries and illnesses related to the Construction industry.
• There were 7,022 cases that involved head injuries in Pennsylvania in 2010.
• Injuries to the arms, wrists, hands, fingers, and shoulders made up 32.5% of the total work injury and illnesses cases in Pennsylvania in 2010.
• There were 13,930 cases of work-related back injuries in Pennsylvania in 2010.
• Overexertion was the leading cause of work-related injuries in Pennsylvania in 2010.
• The age 50-54 age group had the highest percentage of injured workers at 12.3%. The 45-49 age group had the next highest percentage at 12.0%.
• Approximately 66.8% of the injured workers in Pennsylvania in 2010 were male.
• The largest number of work injury and illness cases in Pennsylvania in 2010 came from the following counties: Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, Lancaster, Delaware, Bucks, Luzerne, Berks, York, and Lehigh.

National Workers' Compensation Statistics - 2010

• There were nearly 3.1 million non-fatal work injuries and illnesses in private industries in 2010 (almost 3.9 million including state and local government workers), which is a decrease from 2009. There were 3.3 million cases in private industry, and a little more than 4.1 million for all cases in 2009.
• The 2010 numbers equal an injury rate of 3.5 cases per 100 full-time workers.
• In 2010, 4,690 workers died while on the job -- up 3 percent from 2009. An additional 50,000 people died from work-related diseases.
• The typical fine for a worker death is $7,900.
• All industries either decreased or stayed the same, though manufacturing and wholesale trade had higher incident rates.
• The rate of illness cases remained about the same in 2010 as 2009. About 5.1 percent of the 3.1 million cases were illness-related.
• Local and state government workers made up 21.1% of all cases, even though they only made up 14.8% of the jobs. While there are much more jobs in private industries (and more cases), the public industries had a 6.1 incident rate (per every 100 workers) compared to the private industries rate of 3.5 cases.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics – 2009

• In 2009, the Bureau of Workers' Compensation reported 88,973 lost-time work injury and illness cases.
• The number of injuries reported was 14.7% lower than the number reported in 2008.
• Work-related fatalities also decreased from 154 in 2008 to 100 in 2009.
• Approximately 67% of the injury cases happened in the following industries: Manufacturing, Educational & Health Services, Public Administration, and Trade, and Transportation & Utilities.
• For nearly every industry, the most common work-related injuries included sprains and strains.
• The highest number of injuries occurred in the Trade, Transportation, & Utilities industry (21,166). It also had the highest number of deaths (22).
• There were 389 cases of amputation or loss of use.
• The highest reported cause of injury was "overexertion." The second-highest cause of injury was "struck by" incidences.
• Workers ages 45 to 49 sustained the highest number of injuries, followed by workers ages 50 to 54.
• About 62 percent of the reported injury and illness cases were men. Of the 100 fatalities that occurred in 2009, only 12 were female.
• More than half of the state's work-related injuries in 2009 came from the following counties: Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, Lancaster, Delaware, Bucks, Berks, Luzerne, Westmoreland, and York.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics – 2008

• During 2008, 104,275 work injury and illness cases were reported.
• The year's total injury and illness cases were down 10% from 2007.
• Fatalities increased to 154 in 2008.
• About 57% of injury and illness cases occurred in Manufacturing, Educational & Health Services, and Trade, Transportation & Utilities.
• More than 62% percent of work deaths happened in Trade, Transportation & Utilities.
• Of the 12 major industry divisions, 11 showed a decrease in injuries in 2008, while only Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting saw an increase.
• Sprain and strain injuries accounted for 44% percent of all reported cases.
• Contusions, crushes, bruises, cuts, lacerations, and punctures accounted for 26%.
• Overexertion (lifting, pulling, pushing, etc.) was the leading cause of injury in 2008, with 31%. Most of overexertion injuries — 80% — resulted in sprains or strains.
• Being struck by objects (falling, flying, etc.) was the next leading cause with 15%.
• Workers ages 45-49 were injured the most in 2008, while those ages 50-59 accounted for the majority of on-the-job deaths.
• Males accounted for 67% of all injury cases.
• Only 10 of the 154 fatalities were females.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics – 2007

• The number of work injuries and illnesses reported to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation in 2007 was 115,845.
• Reported work injuries and illnesses in 2007 were up nearly 5% from 2006.Work-related deaths increased to 148.
• About 56% of all injuries and illnesses occurred in Manufacturing, Educational & Health Services, and Trade, Transportation & Utilities.
• Over half of the year's Pennsylvania work fatalities — 83 of them — occurred in Professional & Business Services and Trade, Transportation & Utilities.
• Natural Resources & Mining had the highest injury and illness rate among the major industries at 59.3.
• Of the 12 major industry divisions, 10 showed an increase in injuries in 2007.
• Sprain and strain injuries accounted for 43% of the total cases. The majority of the sprain and strain cases affected the trunk area.
• Just over 26% of cases were contusions, crushes, bruises, cuts, lacerations, and punctures. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of the cuts, lacerations, and punctures occurred in the upper extremities.
• Back injuries alone represented almost 18% of the annual total.
• Overexertion (lifting, pulling, pushing, etc.) was the leading cause of injury in 2007, accounting for 31% of all injuries.
• Being struck by objects (falling, flying, etc.) was the next leading cause of injury with 16%.
• Slips and falls on the same level accounted for 12%.
• Workers ages 45-49 were injured the most, while workers 55-59 experienced the highest number of deaths.
• 68% of the injuries reported affected to men.
• Women accounted for the other 32% of injuries, including 15 deaths.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics – 2006

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor reported the following work injury and illness statistics for 2006:

• There were 110,657 lost-time work injury and illness cases reported to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation.
• There was an 8.2% increase in lost-time work injury and illnesses over 2005 (110,657 vs. 102,259).
• Fatalities increased to 133 from 122 in 2005 and 130 in 2004.
• 54.9% of the 133 fatalities came from Trade, Transportation, & Utilities, Manufacturing & Construction.
• Workers between the ages of 45-49 had the highest rate of work injury or illness – 12.4%, or 13,748 reported cases.
• Workers between the ages of 40-44 had the second highest rate of work injury or illness – 12.1%, or 13,408 reported cases.
• The median age for an injured worker was 41.2.
• The highest rate of fatalities was reported in the 40 to 44-year-old age group.
• Of all reported work injury or illness cases, 68%, or 75,202, were male.
• Of all reported work fatalities, 12 were female.
• Manufacturing, Education & Health, Services, Trade, Transportation & Utilities accounted for over 55.3% of lost-time work injury and illness cases.
• Natural Resources & Mining had the highest injury and illness rate of all major industries.
• Sprains and strains accounted for 43.1% of all reported cases.
• Contusions, crushes, and bruises accounted for 14.4% of all reported cases.
• Injuries to the arms, wrists, hands, fingers, and shoulders accounted for over 32% of all reported cases.
• Back injuries alone accounted for over 17.1% of all reported cases.
• Head injuries accounted for 8.3% of all reported cases.
• Overexertion (lifting, pulling, pushing) accounted for 33.4% of all reported cases, making it the leading cause of injury in 2005.

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Statistics – 2005

• There were 102,259 lost-time work injury and illness cases reported to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation.
• There was a 9.3% increase in lost-time work injury and illnesses over 2004 (102,259 vs. 93,566).
• Fatalities decreased to 122 in 2005 from 130 in 2004.
• Workers between the ages of 45-49 had the highest rate of work injury or illness – 12.4% or 12,681 reported cases.
• Workers between the ages of 40-44 had the second highest rate of work injury or illness – 12.4% or 12,656 reported cases.
• The median age for an injured worker was 41.2.
• Of all reported work injury or illness cases, 65.3% or 66,752 were male.
• Of all reported work fatalities, 10 were female.
• Manufacturing, Education & Health, Services, and Trade, Transportation & Utilities accounted for over 57.1% of lost-time work injury and illness cases.
• Natural Resources & Mining had the highest injury and illness rate of all major industries.
• Sprains and strains accounted for 43.5% of all reported cases.
• Contusions, crushes, and bruises accounted for 13.4% of all reported cases.
• Injuries to the arms, wrists, hands, fingers, and shoulders accounted for over 32% of all reported cases.
• Back injuries alone accounted for over 18.5% of all reported cases.
• Overexertion (lifting, pulling, pushing) accounted for 31.3% of all reported cases, making it the leading cause of injury in 2005.

Looking for more statistics? View our accident statistics page.

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