Glossary

Total recordable incident rate (TRIR)

A safety metric showing OSHA-recordable injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in a year, calculated from case counts and hours worked.

Also called: TRIR, OSHA incident rate, total recordable case rate, recordable incident rate

TRIR measures how many OSHA-recordable injuries and illnesses a workforce suffers per 100 full-time employees in a year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics formula is: TRIR = (number of recordable cases x 200,000) / total hours worked by all employees. The 200,000 stands for 100 employees working 40 hours a week for 50 weeks. A case counts if it meets the OSHA recordable injury test under 29 CFR Part 1904: a work-related death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, or a significant diagnosed condition.

Say a contractor logs 6 recordable cases over 180,000 hours (hypothetical). The rate is 6 x 200,000 / 180,000, or 6.7. The DART rate uses the same formula but counts only cases with days away, restricted duty or job transfer.

General contractors and owners screen subcontractors on TRIR, underwriters ask for it, and comparing it with the BLS average for your industry code gives context. The pitfalls are volatility and gaming. In a 20-person firm one case can double the rate, and pressure to look good can lead to under-recording, which OSHA treats as a violation. TRIR is also not your experience mod, which comes from claim costs. The OSHA incident rate calculator computes both rates, and the guide on OSHA recordkeeping, injury rates and insurance covers the logs.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

DART rate An OSHA incident rate counting injury and illness cases that caused days away from work, restricted duty or a job transfer, per 100 full-time workers. OSHA recordable injury A work-related injury or illness meeting OSHA's recording criteria, such as lost time, restricted duty or care beyond first aid, entered on the OSHA 300 log. Experience modification rate (EMR) A multiplier on workers' compensation premium comparing an employer's actual claim losses with the losses expected for its industry and size. Loss control The inspections, safety programs and physical improvements that a business and its insurer use to make claims less frequent and less severe.

Related guides

OSHA recordkeeping, injury rates and insurance Which injuries go on the OSHA 300 log, how TRIR and DART are calculated, and how underwriters, contract owners and your experience mod read the numbers. Building a workplace safety program that cuts claims How to build a written workplace safety program with OSHA's seven core elements and the hierarchy of controls, and what insurers and state credits look for.

Related tools

OSHA incident rate calculator (TRIR and DART) Calculate TRIR, DART rate, lost-time case rate and severity rate from your OSHA 300 log and hours worked, and compare them with an industry rate.