The Travelers Companies has released its 2026 Injury Impact Report, analyzing more than 1.2 million workers’ compensation claims from 2021 to 2025. The findings show workplace injuries are declining overall, but those that occur are more severe and require longer recovery times.
In construction, injured workers miss an average of 114 days — the highest among industries included in the report. Others include transportation (94 days), professional services (77 days) and manufacturing (76 days).
The report highlights two key risk groups: older workers and new hires. Employees age 60 and older account for 16% of lost-time claims and miss an average of 97 workdays per injury. Meanwhile, first-year employees represent 37% of all injuries and 34% of claim costs, with construction among the industries where new workers face the highest risk.
Slips, trips and falls remain a leading cause of the most expensive claims across industries. For older workers, these incidents account for nearly 40% of injuries.
The report recommends contractors focus on improving onboarding and safety training for new hires, strengthening safety culture and preparing response and return-to-work plans to manage injuries more effectively.
