Workplace safety in the United States has long been defined by physical hazards. New federal data shows that the nature of that risk is changing.
An analysis by the National Council on Compensation Insurance found that nonfatal workplace assaults increased at an average annual rate of 5.3% from 2011 through 2022. Over that same period, assaults per 10,000 full-time workers rose 62%, compared with a 13% increase in the national aggravated assault rate.
The share of assaults among all days-away-from-work cases also climbed, reaching 3.0% in 2023–24 after a temporary dip during the pandemic.
A different kind of workplace risk
For much of the 20th century, workplace injuries were tied to machinery, falls, and repetitive motion. Those hazards were addressed through engineering controls, protective equipment, and standardized safety protocols.
As the U.S. economy shifted from manufacturing to service work and then toward on-demand and digital models, a larger share of workers began spending their time in direct contact with the public. That exposure has changed how risk appears in the workplace.
Roles in healthcare, education, retail, and public services now involve frequent interaction with patients, students, customers, and the general public, creating conditions where confrontations can occur.
Where incidents are concentrated
The data shows a strong concentration of assaults in sectors with high public interaction.
Healthcare and social assistance recorded approximately 18,860 annualized assault cases in 2023–24, about ten times higher than retail trade, which reported roughly 1,835 cases.
Other sectors with elevated exposure include education, emergency services, and law enforcement.
Demographic patterns also emerge in the data. Women accounted for about two-thirds of assault victims while representing 47% of the private-industry workforce, a difference linked to their concentration in healthcare roles. Workers aged 20 to 34 also experienced a higher share of assaults relative to their representation in the workforce.
The structure of claims is changing
Assault-related workplace injuries differ from traditional injury claims.
Workers’ compensation data shows that these cases often involve multiple factors, including physical injury, psychological impact, and extended recovery periods.
Among the most severe cases, gunshot-related claims recorded the highest average costs within assault-related injuries.
Post-pandemic trends
Additional research tracking public-sector workers has identified changes following the return to in-person work.
Among K–12 educators, claims involving teachers injured by students increased by approximately 25% to 26% in the two years after in-person learning resumed. Those levels have remained elevated rather than returning to pre-pandemic baselines.
The data indicates that workplace violence is becoming a more prominent component of occupational risk across multiple industries, particularly in roles that involve direct and frequent interaction with the public.
