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Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers, 2016-2020


Background

Landscaping and groundskeeping workers landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.

As of May 2020, there were 872,370 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $16.25, and the average annual wage was $33,800.

Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

In private industry for landscaping and groundskeeping workers, there were 10,170 nonfatal injury and illness cases involving days away from work in 2020. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 177.1.



Table 1. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by selected case characteristics, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, private industry, 2020
Case characteristic[1]Number of cases

Nature of injury or illness

All other natures

2,570

Sprains, strains, tears

2,270

Soreness, pain

1,920

Fractures

1,330

Bruises, contusions

980

Part of body affected

Knee

1,250

Back

1,170

Ankle

1,050

Hand

910

Body systems

880

Source of injury or illness

All other sources

3,110

Worker motion or position

1,160

Vehicles

1,110

Machinery

1,060

Handtools

980

Event or exposure leading to injury or illness

Struck by object or equipment

2,210

Fall on same level

1,370

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

1,030

Fall to lower level

790

Slips, trips without fall

580

[1] Data shown correspond to Nature, Part, Source, and Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

Fatal occupational injuries

Fatal work injuries totaled 116 for landscaping and groundskeeping workers during 2020, compared to 124 during 2019.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, all United States, 2016–2020
Event or exposure[1][2]20162017201820192020

Total fatal injuries (number)

125109142124116

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

987----

Transportation incidents

6242504951

Fires and explosions

----------

Falls, slips, trips

2318222619

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

1319352913

Contact with objects and equipment

1721261430

[1] CFOI data by event are only provided if there are fatal case counts in three or more of the six event categories.

[2] Data shown correspond to Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Note: Dashes indicate data do not meet BLS publication guidelines.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

Sources

Wage and employment estimates come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. Injury and illness information come from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). For more information on SOII program concepts, see the definitions page and the SOII Handbook of Methods. For more information on CFOI program concepts, see the definitions page and the CFOI Handbook of Methods.

 

Last Modified Date: February 11, 2022