National ranking · OSHA ITA + BLS

The most dangerous industries to work in

Industry sectors ranked by the average Total Case Rate of their employers, injuries per 100 full-time workers per year.

50
Industries ranked
12.8
Worst avg TCR

The verdict

The single most dangerous sector, Animal hospitals, averages 12.8 recordable injuries per 100 workers, well above the all-industry private-sector norm of roughly 2.7; the #50 cutoff to make this list is TCR 6.9 (Beef produced in slaughtering plants).

12.8
worst TCR · Animal hospitals
6.9
#50, the cutoff to make this list
50
industries ranked
2016–2024
OSHA filing years

Ranked by the mean Total Case Rate across the rated (credible-TCR) subset in each NAICS industry, OSHA ITA Form 300A. See Methodology → Three Populations.

Top industries by average TCR

Top 25 industries by average Total Case Rate

Mean rated-employer TCR · each row links to the industry page

  1. 1
    Animal hospitals 12.8 TCR
    NAICS 541940 · 261 rated employers
  2. 2
    Transportation 12.7 TCR
    NAICS 492210 · 1,452 rated employers
  3. 3
    Fire departments (e.g., government, volunteer (except private)) 10.8 TCR
    NAICS 922160 · 793 rated employers
  4. 4
    Police departments (except American Indian or Alaska Native) 10.4 TCR
    NAICS 922120 · 716 rated employers
  5. 5
    Ski resorts without accommodations 10.0 TCR
    NAICS 713920 · 121 rated employers
  6. 6
    Floor covering stores (except wood or ceramic tile only) 9.7 TCR
    NAICS 442210 · 345 rated employers
  7. 7
    Ambulance Service 9.4 TCR
    NAICS 621910 · 976 rated employers
  8. 8
    Van lines, moving and storage services 9.4 TCR
    NAICS 484210 · 548 rated employers
  9. 9
    Hog and pig (including breeding, farrowing, nursery, and finishing activities) farming 9.2 TCR
    NAICS 112210 · 280 rated employers
  10. 10
    Couriers and Express Delivery Services 9.2 TCR
    NAICS 492110 · 6,679 rated employers
  11. 11
    Theaters, live theatrical production (except dance) 9.0 TCR
    NAICS 711110 · 122 rated employers
  12. 12
    Gray iron foundries 8.9 TCR
    NAICS 331511 · 272 rated employers
  13. 13
    Chicken coops, prefabricated, wood, manufacturing 8.8 TCR
    NAICS 321992 · 177 rated employers
  14. 14
    Automotive tire dealers 8.7 TCR
    NAICS 441320 · 1,416 rated employers
  15. 15
    Automatic merchandising machine operators 8.4 TCR
    NAICS 454210 · 311 rated employers
  16. 16
    Homes for the elderly without nursing care 8.3 TCR
    NAICS 623312 · 6,510 rated employers
  17. 17
    Convenience food stores 8.3 TCR
    NAICS 445120 · 1,323 rated employers
  18. 18
    Continuing care retirement communities 8.3 TCR
    NAICS 623311 · 4,127 rated employers
  19. 19
    Bakery products, frozen, merchant wholesalers 8.1 TCR
    NAICS 424420 · 134 rated employers
  20. 20
    Skilled nursing facilities 8.0 TCR
    NAICS 623110 · 15,252 rated employers
  21. 21
    Sand castings, aluminum, unfinished, manufacturing 8.0 TCR
    NAICS 331524 · 156 rated employers
  22. 22
    Roof trusses, wood, manufacturing 7.9 TCR
    NAICS 321214 · 421 rated employers
  23. 23
    Mental health hospitals 7.8 TCR
    NAICS 622210 · 872 rated employers
  24. 24
    Boat transporter trailers, single-unit, manufacturing 7.8 TCR
    NAICS 336214 · 262 rated employers
  25. 25
    Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation 7.8 TCR
    NAICS 481111 · 1,568 rated employers

Source OSHA ITA Form 300A + BLS IIF benchmarks · 2016–2024

Where the industry-list cutoff sits among all sectors

The bar to make this list: TCR 6.9

#50 cutoff among 1,023 NAICS industries with a rated mean TCR

Industries, bucketed by mean rated-employer Total Case Rate

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more industries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source OSHA ITA Form 300A (credible-subset industry means) · 2016–2024

# Industry NAICSRated employersBLS benchmarkAvg TCR
1 Animal hospitals 541940 261 0.5 12.8
2 Transportation 492210 1,452 4.5 12.7
3 Fire departments (e.g., government, volunteer (except private)) 922160 793 3.2 10.8
4 Police departments (except American Indian or Alaska Native) 922120 716 3.2 10.4
5 Ski resorts without accommodations 713920 121 3.1 10.0
6 Floor covering stores (except wood or ceramic tile only) 442210 345 3.4 9.7
7 Ambulance Service 621910 976 3.8 9.4
8 Van lines, moving and storage services 484210 548 4.5 9.4
9 Hog and pig (including breeding, farrowing, nursery, and finishing activities) farming 112210 280 4.5 9.2
10 Couriers and Express Delivery Services 492110 6,679 6.5 9.2
11 Theaters, live theatrical production (except dance) 711110 122 3.1 9.0
12 Gray iron foundries 331511 272 3.3 8.9
13 Chicken coops, prefabricated, wood, manufacturing 321992 177 3.3 8.8
14 Automotive tire dealers 441320 1,416 3.4 8.7
15 Automatic merchandising machine operators 454210 311 3.4 8.4
16 Homes for the elderly without nursing care 623312 6,510 3.8 8.3
17 Convenience food stores 445120 1,323 3.4 8.3
18 Continuing care retirement communities 623311 4,127 3.8 8.3
19 Bakery products, frozen, merchant wholesalers 424420 134 2.2 8.1
20 Skilled nursing facilities 623110 15,252 6.5 8.0
21 Sand castings, aluminum, unfinished, manufacturing 331524 156 3.3 8.0
22 Roof trusses, wood, manufacturing 321214 421 3.3 7.9
23 Mental health hospitals 622210 872 3.8 7.8
24 Boat transporter trailers, single-unit, manufacturing 336214 262 3.3 7.8
25 Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation 481111 1,568 4.5 7.8
26 Zoos 712130 174 3.1 7.7
27 Manufactured (mobile) homes manufacturing 321991 175 3.3 7.7
28 Professional football clubs 711211 157 3.1 7.6
29 Thrift shops, used merchandise 459510 133 3.4 7.6
30 Boys' and girls' residential facilities (e.g., homes, ranches, villages) 623990 560 3.8 7.6
31 Postal stations operated on a contract basis 491110 13,818 4.5 7.6
32 Motor vehicle parts, used, merchant wholesalers 423140 235 2.2 7.5
33 Ambulatory surgical centers and clinics, freestanding 621493 498 3.8 7.5
34 Prisons 922140 482 3.2 7.5
35 Hardware stores 444130 1,493 3.4 7.5
36 Antique furniture merchant wholesalers 423210 638 2.2 7.4
37 Skids and pallets, wood or wood and metal combination, manufacturing 321920 952 3.3 7.4
38 Construction management, residential remodeling 236118 698 3.8 7.4
39 Recreational sports teams and leagues 713990 289 3.1 7.4
40 Conservation areas 712190 126 3.1 7.4
41 Homefurnishings stores 442299 2,162 3.4 7.4
42 Carpentry, framing 238130 387 2.8 7.3
43 Intermediate care facilities, intellectual and developmental disability 623210 2,261 3.8 7.3
44 Wholesale Distribution of Roofing Siding and Insulation Materials 423330 953 2.2 7.3
45 Tent, party, rental 532299 159 1.4 7.1
46 Retail Store 452319 1,513 3.4 7.1
47 Fish, curing, drying, pickling, salting, and smoking 311710 231 3.3 7.1
48 Beer merchant wholesalers 424810 664 2.2 7.0
49 Water parks, amusement 713110 296 3.1 7.0
50 Beef produced in slaughtering plants 311611 212 3.3 6.9

Source: OSHA Injury Tracking Application establishment data and BLS IIF industry benchmarks, 2016–2024.

What this sector ranking means

Industry sets the baseline risk; the employer you choose determines where you actually land within it.

Sector averages use the credible-subset mean across reporting employers; a benchmark differs from any one establishment's measured rate.