Hartford, CT — Although workplace injury rates are declining, the injuries that do occur are “growing more complex and taking longer to heal,” according to a new report from insurance provider The Travelers Cos.
For its 2026 Injury Impact Report, researchers used data from more than 1.2 million workers’ compensation claims submitted from various businesses and industries from 2021 through 2025.
“The decrease in workplace injuries is a positive story,” Claude Howard, vice president of workers’ compensation claims at Travelers, said in a press release, “yet injured workers are still missing an average of 80 workdays.”
This trend, the researchers noted, is driven by an aging workforce and the “disproportionate vulnerability of first-year employees.”
The researchers found that workers in construction who were injured on the job missed an average of 114 workdays, while injured transportation workers missed an average of 94 days. For professional services and manufacturing, those numbers were 77 and 76 days, respectively.
Additional findings:
- Injured employees at small businesses missed an average of 86 days.
- Workers 60 and older represented 16% of all lost-time claims and missed an average of 97 days.
- First-year employees accounted for around 37% of the injuries and 34% of overall claims costs.
First-year employees also accounted for 51% of restaurant injuries, 46% of those at small businesses and 44% in construction.
Employers can protect new hires, Travelers says, by identifying workplace risks, improving safety controls and defining safe work practices.
“The majority of workplace accidents can be prevented,” Chris Hayes, assistant vice president of workers’ compensation, risk control, at Travelers, said in the release. “Getting ahead of the risks isn’t just good safety practice; it’s one of the most meaningful things an employer can do to protect and support their people.”
