Illinois employers logged 101,400 non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2023—about 2.4 cases for every 100 full-time workers, right in line with the national average. Roughly one in five of those incidents cost employees days—or even weeks—off the job. The highest-risk industries remain construction, transportation and warehousing, manufacturing, and health care.

Below is a closer look at the injuries safety inspectors, insurers, and workers-comp attorneys see most often across the state.

Overexertion and musculoskeletal strains
Warehouse pickers near O’Hare, hotel housekeepers on the Magnificent Mile, and health-care aides in suburban hospitals all perform repeated lifting, pushing, and awkward bending. These motions lead to the single largest share of non-fatal claims in Illinois.

Slips, trips, and falls
Winter ice on loading docks, freshly mopped floors in office towers, or cluttered jobsites can send workers to the ER in seconds. Same-level falls remain a perennial leader on insurers’ loss charts.

Struck-by or caught-between injuries
Manufacturing lines in Cicero and massive distribution centers in Joliet are packed with forklifts, robotic arms, and moving pallets. When equipment and people cross paths, struck-by and caught-between incidents spike.

Repetitive-motion disorders
From data-entry specialists to CNC operators to busy baristas, repetitive tasks without adequate breaks can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and similar conditions. Remote workers with makeshift home offices have added to these claims in recent years.

Transportation incidents
Whether it’s delivery vans, ride-hail vehicles, or long-haul trucks on I-55 and I-90, roadway crashes remain Illinois’ most common fatal workplace event.

Workplace violence
ER nurses, retail clerks on late shifts, and social-service staff increasingly cite assaults as a source of serious injuries. Though the numbers are smaller than for strains or falls, the severity keeps this category on OSHA’s radar.

Need help after a work injury?

When you or a loved one gets hurt on the job, you deserve an experienced attorney who will fight for every benefit available under Illinois workers’ compensation law. For a free consultation, call (312) 726-5567 or reach out online.

Krol, Bongiorno & Given proudly represents injured workers throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, including Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kankakee, Kane, Kendall, McHenry, and Will Counties.