New York Workplace Injury Rates Declined 18 Percent

Statewide data shows lower incident rates, though specific logistics sectors remain significantly higher.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Employment

Isometric editorial illustration of a single shipping container on a flat floor, symbolizing industrial safety standards. — Workplace injury rates across New York state fell by 18 percent between 2014 and 2024, according to state-level labor data. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should states mandate stricter safety practices for industries with persistently high injury rates?

Workplace injuries and illnesses in New York dropped nearly 18% between 2014 and 2024. In 2024, the state recorded approximately 122,000 cases, reflecting an overall rate of fewer than two injuries or illnesses per 100 workers.

Why it matters

Understanding these long-term trends helps operators benchmark their internal safety performance against state-level averages. Identifying high-risk sub-sectors allows managers to prioritize safety resources where incident rates disproportionately affect labor availability and compliance costs.

The statewide injury and illness rate stood at fewer than two per 100 workers in 2024. This contrasts with the transportation and warehousing sector, which reported four incidents per 100, and couriers and messengers, which saw more than seven per 100.

The details

While the broad trend indicates a safer environment for most New York businesses, the data highlights clear disparities in high-intensity operations. Logistics-heavy businesses, including transportation, warehousing, and courier services, continue to face injury rates significantly higher than the state average. These segments remain primary areas for regulatory and operational safety focus.

The decline in workplace injuries and illnesses spanned the 2014-2024 period.
Data for the 122,000 reported cases reflects the full year of 2024.

Market Landscape

This decline follows the trajectory observed in long-term Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational injury surveillance. It establishes a performance baseline against which New York operators can weigh their own sector-specific safety investments.

Operators should review their incident rates against the reported state benchmarks of two per 100 workers to assess their competitive position on safety. Those in transportation and delivery must account for higher-than-average risk profiles in their annual insurance and training budgets.

The takeaway

While aggregate injury metrics in New York have improved, high-risk operational segments continue to experience elevated incidents. Business owners should track their specific injury-per-100-worker metric to identify if their safety protocols align with or lag behind the state industry standard.