OSHA Recordable Rate Benchmarks by Industry: Where Does Your Facility Stand?

Last Updated: February 25, 2026

The national average Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) for private industry dropped to 2.3 per 100 full-time workers in 2024, the lowest since BLS began tracking in 2003. But that number hides enormous variation. Transportation and warehousing facilities run at 4.5, while construction sits at 2.3. If you are benchmarking your facility against a single national average, you are probably measuring wrong.

This guide breaks down the latest BLS recordable rate data by industry sector, explains what the numbers actually mean for your OSHA compliance posture, and gives you concrete steps to drive your rates down.

How OSHA Recordable Rates Are Calculated

Before benchmarking, make sure your team is recording incidents correctly under 29 CFR 1904. Two rates matter most:

Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR):

TRIR = (Number of recordable incidents × 200,000) ÷ Total hours worked

DART Rate (Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred):

DART = (Number of DART cases × 200,000) ÷ Total hours worked

The 200,000 divisor normalizes to 100 full-time employees working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks. A TRIR of 2.3 means that for every 100 workers putting in a full year of hours, you can expect about 2.3 recordable incidents. A recordable incident includes anything beyond first aid: stitches, prescription medication, restricted duty, days away from work, or job transfer.

2024 TRIR Benchmarks by Industry

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) annually. The most recent release, USDL-26-0101, covers calendar year 2024. Here is how major sectors compare:

Source: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2024 (USDL-26-0101, January 22, 2026)

Notice the range. A manufacturing EHS manager with a TRIR of 3.0 might feel good about being “near average,” but that is above the manufacturing benchmark of 2.8. Meanwhile, a warehousing facility at 3.0 would be well below their sector average of 4.5.

VR-based training is one method manufacturing plants use to drive those rates down — see VR safety training for manufacturing for specific applications and ROI data.

National DART Rates: The Severity Metric

TRIR counts all recordable incidents. DART captures only the ones serious enough to cause missed work, restricted duties, or job transfers. OSHA uses the DART rate to classify industries as low-hazard or high-hazard for recordkeeping exemptions.

Industries with DART below 1.5 are classified as low-hazard by OSHA, exempting them from routine recordkeeping inspections. If your facility is above 1.5, you are on OSHA’s radar for potential site-specific targeting.

What Counts as a “Good” TRIR for Your Industry

There is no universal good-or-bad threshold. Benchmarking only works against your own NAICS code. That said, general guidelines based on how safety professionals typically evaluate performance:

For DOD and government contracts, TRIR matters during the bidding process. Prime contractors regularly disqualify subcontractors with above-average recordable rates. Getting below your industry benchmark is not just about safety—it directly affects your ability to win work.

The Real Cost of Every Recordable Incident

The National Safety Council puts the average cost of a medically consulted workplace injury at $43,000. That is just the direct cost: medical expenses, wage losses, and administrative overhead. Research consistently shows indirect costs (production delays, overtime for replacement workers, investigation time, retraining) run 2x to 5x the direct cost. A $43,000 direct-cost injury can easily total $130,000 to $215,000 when you account for everything.

Scale that up: U.S. employers spent $176.5 billion on workplace injuries in 2023, according to NSC Injury Facts. OSHA estimates employers pay nearly $1 billion per week in direct workers compensation costs alone.

For a manufacturing facility running a TRIR of 2.8 with 500 employees, that is roughly 14 recordable incidents per year. At $43,000 direct cost each, that is $602,000 in direct costs—potentially $1.8 million when you factor in indirect costs. Dropping your TRIR by even 0.5 points could save $150,000 to $450,000 annually. See our analysis of what safety training costs per employee to understand where those training dollars deliver the most injury reduction.

Five-Year TRIR Trend: The Numbers Are Improving

The national trend is headed in the right direction:

For context, the rate was 10.9 per 100 workers in 1972, shortly after OSHA was established. That is a 79% decline over five decades. But improvement has slowed—the rate hovered at 2.7 to 2.8 for years before dropping to 2.3 in 2024. Most of the easy wins (machine guarding, PPE standards, hazcom) are already in place. The remaining gains require better training methods and stronger safety cultures.

What Actually Moves the Needle on Recordable Rates

Research points to a few high-impact interventions:

Training compliance above 90%. A peer-reviewed study published in eJournal Mandalanursa found that training frequency and safety compliance together explain 21.1% of the variation in workplace accident rates. A construction firm that pushed training compliance from 75% to 90% saw a 40% reduction in incidents. The threshold matters: below 90% compliance, the safety benefit drops off significantly.

Active participation over passive lectures. A NIOSH systematic review of training methods found that workers who actively participate in training (hands-on practice, simulations, problem-solving exercises) demonstrate greater knowledge acquisition and fewer injuries compared to those who sit through lectures or watch videos. The mechanism is straightforward: people retain what they do, not what they hear.

These findings align with an independent study by Central Washington University, which found that VR safety training significantly improves comprehension and 30-day knowledge retention. 100% of participants said VR improved their understanding of safety procedures.

Immersive simulation training. Peer-reviewed research published in Nature/Scientific Reports (2025) studied 200 participants and found VR-based safety training produced a 30% increase in safety awareness with improved risk perception and self-efficacy. In applied settings, companies report significant results: a mining industry study presented at the Minesafe International Conference documented a 43% reduction in lost time from injury after implementing simulation-based training. Based on Humulo’s deployment data across manufacturing and warehousing facilities, the pattern holds: workers who practice hazardous scenarios in VR before encountering them on the floor make fewer mistakes when it counts.

Frequency over length. Short, frequent refreshers outperform annual marathon sessions. OSHA does not prescribe exact training frequencies for most standards (exceptions include annual refreshers for hazcom, respiratory protection, and a few others), but facilities with quarterly or monthly safety touchpoints consistently outperform those relying on annual-only training.

How to Benchmark Your Facility

Step 1: Pull your OSHA 300A summary for the most recent calendar year. Your TRIR and DART are on the form.

Step 2: Find your NAICS code. It is on your tax filings, SIC registration, or ask your accountant.

Step 3: Look up your industry benchmark on the BLS Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities data tables. Table 1 gives TRIR by industry. Drill into your specific NAICS code for the most accurate comparison.

Step 4: Calculate the gap. If your TRIR is above your industry benchmark, quantify what it costs you. Multiply the excess incidents by $43,000 (direct) or $130,000+ (total) to build the business case for intervention.

Step 5: Identify your top incident categories from your OSHA 300 log. Material handling injuries, slips/trips/falls, and struck-by incidents account for the majority of recordables in manufacturing and warehousing. Target your training investment at the categories driving your rate up.

For facilities dealing with height-related hazards, proper fall protection training is equally critical — falls remain OSHA’s most-cited serious violation.

Humulo recommendation: if your top incident categories include forklift operations, fire response, lockout/tagout, or confined space, these are areas where VR-based simulation training lets workers practice the exact scenarios that cause injuries—without any exposure to real hazards during the learning process.

Related: VR Lockout Tagout Training: Practice LOTO Procedures Without the Risk

Warehousing and storage (NAICS 493) consistently posts some of the highest recordable rates across all industries. VR training is one tool facilities are using to bring those numbers down — read more in our VR warehouse safety training guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good OSHA recordable rate?

A good TRIR is below your specific industry average. The 2024 national private industry average is 2.3 per 100 full-time workers. Manufacturing averages 2.8, transportation/warehousing 4.5, and construction 2.3. Compare against your NAICS code, not the overall average.

How often does BLS update recordable rate data?

BLS publishes the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) annually, typically in November or January for the prior calendar year. The 2024 data was released January 22, 2026.

What is the difference between TRIR and DART?

TRIR counts all OSHA-recordable incidents (anything beyond first aid). DART is a subset that only counts cases involving days away from work, restricted work, or job transfer. DART measures severity; TRIR measures overall incident frequency. The 2024 national private industry DART rate is 1.4.

Does VR training reduce OSHA recordable rates?

Published research shows promising results. A 2025 peer-reviewed study in Nature/Scientific Reports found VR training produced a 30% increase in safety awareness among 200 participants. A mining industry study documented a 43% reduction in lost time from injury after implementing simulation training. The PwC study found VR learners were 275% more confident applying learned skills compared to classroom trainees.

How much does a single recordable incident cost?

The National Safety Council estimates $43,000 per medically consulted injury in direct costs (medical, wages, administrative). Indirect costs run 2x to 5x on top, making the true cost $130,000 to $215,000 per incident. For a 500-person facility at the manufacturing average of 2.8 TRIR, that is roughly $600,000 to $1.8 million annually.

The Bottom Line

Your OSHA recordable rate is not just a compliance metric. It drives your insurance premiums, your ability to win contracts, and your total cost of doing business. The 2024 data shows that national rates are dropping—which means the bar is rising. Facilities that were “average” two years ago at 2.7 are now above the national benchmark of 2.3.

If your rates are above your industry average, the most cost-effective starting point is targeting your top incident categories with training methods that build actual skills—not just check a box. Check your strategies for reducing workplace injuries and review why traditional training methods often fail to stick for more on closing the gap.

Once you know where your facility stands, the next step is bringing those numbers down. Our guide on how to reduce your OSHA recordable rate walks through the specific steps that move the needle.

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