Every year thousands of employees are injured in the course of their employment.

Injuries in the workplace are costly and while it is nearly impossible to prevent every single exposure and injury in the workplace, it is important to proactive identify those that are most common in order to find possible solutions.

According to the 2012 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, the top five leading causes of workplace injuries drive 73%  of the nation’s direct workers’ compensation costs.

The study found that the top five injuries were:

1. Overexertion: Injuries from excessive lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying, throwing, which accounted for $13.61 billion in costs.
2. Fall on same level: a slip, trip, or a fall in which the worker impacts either the surface or an object at the same level on which he/she is standing. This injury drove $8.61 billion in costs.
3. Fall to lower level: Which accounted to $5.12 billion in costs.
4. Bodily reaction: Injuries from bending, climbing, reaching, standing, sitting, and slipping or tripping without falling, which drove $5.28 billion in expenses.
5. Struck by object: Which accounted for $4.64 billion in costs.

The Liberty Mutual study is available here.