According to a Travelers report, 35% of injuries occur during a worker’s first year on the job, regardless of age or prior experience. For its 2022 Injury Impact Report, the insurer reviewed more than 1.5 million workers compensation claims over a five-year period to identify common workplace injuries and their impact on businesses.
The most common causes of injuries among first-year workers included: overexertion (27% of claims); slips, trips and falls (22%); being struck by an object (14%); cuts and punctures (6%); getting caught in or between hazards (6%); and motor vehicle accidents (6%). These resulted in a range of injuries, most notably strains and sprains (38% of claims), fractures (13%) and contusions (9%). First-year employee injuries led to more than six million lost workdays over the five-year period studied, representing 37% of the total 17 million days lost due to all workplace injuries.
Travelers stressed the importance of comprehensive employee onboarding and training programs, particularly as companies navigate pandemic-related workforce changes and high turnover in the Great Resignation.