Liberty Mutual Reveals 25 Years of Workplace Injury Trends and Costs

For a quarter century, Liberty Mutual has been publishing its Workplace Safety Index (WSI), drawing on decades of injury data to help U.S. employers better understand and mitigate workplace risks. The 2025 edition reflects a comprehensive look at 2022 data, and while overall injury rates have declined, the cost of those injuries has risen sharply—reaching a staggering $58.78 billion.

Two injury types — overexertion involving outside sources and falls on the same level — consistently top the list, accounting for nearly 40% of total injury losses. Notably, falls on the same level surged 84% in cost over the past two decades, now representing $10.5 billion in annual losses. Meanwhile, the cost of repetitive motion injuries has dropped significantly thanks to targeted prevention efforts, causing these injuries to fall out of the top 10 in recent years.

The Index reveals that musculoskeletal injuries, particularly those affecting the back, shoulder, and knee, remain a critical cost driver — totaling nearly $32.6 billion. In total, seven injury causes have persisted in the top 10 since the Index began, highlighting where long-term risk control efforts are still needed.

Liberty Mutual’s findings also point to the value of proactive risk management, particularly in high-risk industries like construction, healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing. With deeper insights into injury trends, insurers, employers, and claims professionals can refine strategies and allocate resources to where they’ll have the greatest impact.