TRIR, the total recordable incident rate, is the number of OSHA-recordable cases multiplied by 200,000 and divided by the total hours all employees actually worked in the same period. For example, 5 recordable cases in 500,000 hours worked gives (5 × 200,000) ÷ 500,000 = 2.0. The result is the number of recordable cases per 100 full-time workers in a year.
The figure 200,000 equals 100 employees working 40 hours a week for 50 weeks. Using it lets you compare a small employer with a large one. The rate is only meaningful if every recordable case is recorded and every hour worked is counted.
The TRIR formula
TRIR = (number of recordable cases × 200,000) ÷ total hours worked by all employees
- Count the recordable cases. From your OSHA Form 300 log, count the cases for the year. On the Form 300A summary, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) adds Column H (days away from work), Column I (job transfer or restriction) and Column J (other recordable cases).
- Add up the hours worked. Use the hours all employees actually worked in the same year, from payroll or time records.
- Multiply and divide. Multiply the cases by 200,000, then divide by the hours.
BLS’s nonfatal formula does not include Column G, the deaths. The US Department of Energy’s total recordable case rate does include them (Columns G to J). Check which definition your client uses before you report a number.
A worked example
The figures below are made up to show the arithmetic. They are not data from any real company.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Recordable cases in the year (H + I + J) | 5 |
| Employees (average) | 250 |
| Hours actually worked by all employees | 500,000 |
| Calculation | (5 × 200,000) ÷ 500,000 |
| TRIR | 2.0 |
BLS gives a similar example for a fictitious company: 7 cases and 400,000 hours worked give (7 × 200,000) ÷ 400,000 = 3.5.
What counts as a recordable case
The general recording rule is 29 CFR 1904.7. A work-related injury or illness is recordable if it results in any of the following:
- death
- days away from work (counting starts the day after the incident, and OSHA allows counting to stop at 180 days)
- restricted work or transfer to another job
- medical treatment beyond first aid
- loss of consciousness
- a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional, such as cancer, a chronic irreversible disease, a fractured or cracked bone or a punctured eardrum
Some conditions have special recording rules, including needlestick and sharps injuries, medical removal, occupational hearing loss and tuberculosis. See the OSHA recordkeeping pages for the detail.
First aid or medical treatment?
The list of first-aid treatments in 1904.7 is complete. A treatment that is not on the list counts as medical treatment, and the case is recordable if it is work-related.
| First aid (not recordable on its own) | Medical treatment (recordable) |
|---|---|
| Non-prescription medicine at non-prescription strength | Prescription medicine, or non-prescription medicine above the labeled strength |
| Tetanus shot | Other immunizations, such as a hepatitis B vaccine |
| Cleaning a wound and using bandages | Stitches, sutures or staples |
| Hot or cold therapy | Physical therapy or chiropractic treatment |
| Non-rigid supports, such as elastic bandages | Rigid immobilization for a fracture, such as a cast |
Counting hours worked
- Include hours actually worked by employees, and by temporary workers you supervise day to day.
- Exclude paid time that was not worked, such as vacation, sick leave and holidays.
- Estimate only when actual hours are not available, for salaried or commission workers, using scheduled hours or 8 hours per workday. BLS allows this.
TRIR, DART and other rates
| Rate | Cases counted | Same formula? |
|---|---|---|
| TRIR or total case rate | All recordable cases (H + I + J) | (cases × 200,000) ÷ hours |
| DART rate | Days away, restricted or transferred cases (H + I) | (cases × 200,000) ÷ hours |
| Days-away rate | Column H only | (cases × 200,000) ÷ hours |
| Illness rates by type | Illness cases by category | Use 20,000,000 instead of 200,000 |
Some clients and international reports use a base of 1,000,000 hours instead of 200,000. That makes the rate five times larger for the same data. Never compare a rate on one base with a rate on another.
What is a good TRIR?
There is no single good number, because it depends on the industry and the size of the workforce. BLS’s release of 22 January 2026 reported a total recordable case rate of 2.3 per 100 full-time workers for private industry in 2024, down from 2.4 in 2023. Rates vary a lot by industry: health care and social assistance was 3.4 and information was 0.7. These are figures for one year and BLS will publish a new set, so check the latest release before you quote them.
To compare your own rate fairly, use the BLS rate for your industry, and if you can, for your size of firm. BLS publishes quartile data by industry and size, so you can see whether you are better than most comparable employers. BLS also offers an incidence rate calculator and comparison tool.
Small employers see big swings. In one example from the US Department of Energy, a company with 10 employees and one injury has a rate of 10.0, while a company with 500 employees and 10 injuries has 2.0. A single case can move a small firm’s rate a long way, so use the number over several years as well.
Some contractor prequalification systems ask for a rolling three-year rate. Check your client’s own definition and period.
Common mistakes
- Using headcount instead of hours worked.
- Mixing the 200,000 and 1,000,000 bases.
- Counting first-aid cases, or missing cases that are medical treatment.
- Leaving out temporary workers you supervise.
- Counting paid leave as hours worked.
- Treating a low rate as proof of safety. A rate falls if cases are not reported, so a lower TRIR is only meaningful if every recordable case is recorded.
TRIR is not the same as reporting an incident to OSHA
TRIR is a measure. Reporting is a separate duty with its own deadlines. Under 29 CFR 1904.39, an employer must report a work-related fatality to OSHA within 8 hours, and an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours. A fatality is reportable only if it occurs within 30 days of the incident.
Under 29 CFR 1904.41, employers in certain industries with 20 to 249 employees must submit their Form 300A electronically each year, and establishments with 250 or more employees in industries that need to keep records must do so too. Establishments with 100 or more employees in the designated industries also submit Forms 300 and 301. The deadline is March 2. See OSHA’s recordkeeping pages for which industries are covered.
Where to go next
- To decide whether something is an incident at all, read incident definition in safety.
- To find the cause of a recordable case, use incident investigation and the incident investigation process.
- To keep the records in order, see safety compliance records.
Questions about TRIR
What does TRIR stand for?
TRIR stands for total recordable incident rate. It is also called the total case incident rate or the total recordable case rate.
How do you calculate TRIR?
Multiply the number of recordable cases by 200,000 and divide by the hours all employees worked.
What is the difference between TRIR and DART?
TRIR counts every recordable case. DART counts only cases with days away from work, restricted work or job transfer.
Does TRIR include fatalities?
BLS’s nonfatal rate does not. Some clients define TRIR to include them, so check the definition you have to report against.
Is TRIR a legal requirement?
No. OSHA requires you to keep records and, in some cases, to submit them. It does not require you to calculate TRIR. Clients, insurers and prequalification systems often ask for it.
Sources (checked 31 October 2026)
- BLS, How to compute your firm’s incidence rate
- BLS, Employer-reported workplace injuries and illnesses, 2024 (22 January 2026)
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1904.7, General recording criteria
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1904.39, Reporting fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1904.41, Electronic submission of injury and illness records
- OSHA, Recordkeeping forms and instructions
- US Department of Energy, Understanding TRC and DART rates (February 2024)
This page explains the method. It is not legal advice, and your client or country may use a different definition.