Lost Time Accident
Published: November 6, 2026 · Last reviewed: November 6, 2026 · Est. reading time 6 minutes
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In plain language: A lost time accident is a job injury that keeps an employee off work past the day it happened. A worker who returns the next morning has no lost time; one who stays home for a week does.
Technical definition: A lost time accident (LTA) is a work incident that produces an injury and causes an employee to miss time on the job beyond the date of injury. In workers' comp, it usually marks a claim that pays wage-loss benefits.
Lost Time Accident at a Glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Lost time injury (LTI) |
| Category | Workplace safety measure, workers' comp claim type |
| Lines of business | Workers' compensation |
| Industries most affected | Construction, manufacturing, warehousing, health care |
| Related records | OSHA 300 log, first report of injury, loss runs |
| Key rates | LTIR, DART rate |
| Also interacts with | Experience modification rate (EMR), return-to-work programs |
Key Takeaways
- A lost time accident is a work-related injury that keeps an employee away from work after the day of injury.
- Lost time claims pay wage benefits on top of medical bills, so they drive workers' comp costs and insurance premiums.
- OSHA uses no "lost time" label; its log tracks days away from work and restricted work as separate case types.
- A strong return-to-work plan with modified duty can turn a likely lost time claim into a shorter, cheaper one.
What Is a Lost Time Accident?
A lost time accident is any job injury that leaves an employee unable to work past the date of injury. Companies treat the count as a lagging indicator, a key performance indicator that measures harm after it happens. Near-miss and close-call reports try to catch hazards early as part of broader risk management.
Employers turn the count into a lost time injury rate (LTIR), also called a lost time incident rate. OSHA's incidence rate formula multiplies the number of cases by 200,000 and divides by total hours worked by all employees. The 200,000 figure equals 100 employees working 40 hours a week for 50 weeks. The total recordable incident rate (TRIR) uses the same math for all recordable cases. For 2024, BLS reported a private industry rate of 2.3 total recordable cases per 100 full-time workers.
For example, a roofing firm logs 100,000 hours and two falls from height that keep workers home. Its LTIR is 2 × 200,000 ÷ 100,000, or 4.0.
How Does a Lost Time Accident Work?
- The workplace incident. An employee is hurt, and incident reporting to the carrier begins.
- The clinic visit. A licensed health care professional examines the worker, runs any diagnostic procedures, and sets a work status with functional restrictions on routine job functions.
- The OSHA recordkeeping step. Covered employers record a days-away case and count calendar days, starting the day after the injury, and may cap the count at 180.
- The wage claim. Workers' comp starts wage-loss benefits once the state waiting period passes, and waiting periods vary by state.
- The return. A worker moves from restricted duty or light duty to full duty.
Claim Examples Involving Lost Time Accident
Warehouse back strain that became a lost time case
A warehouse picker strained his back lifting cartons. The doctor ordered two weeks of time off work, so the carrier paid medical bills plus wage benefits after the state waiting period. At renewal, the claim showed up as indemnity on the loss runs.
Job transfer that kept a cut finger medical-only
A machine operator needed stitches for a cut finger. Sutures count as medical treatment beyond first aid, so the case was recordable. The employer moved him to inspection work the next day. Because he missed no scheduled workdays, the claim stayed medical-only.
Ladder fall that hurt a contractor's safety performance
An electrician fell from a ladder and missed six weeks. The firm's lost time injury frequency rate jumped, and a general contractor flagged that record at prequalification. The owner added weekly safety meetings to the safety program.
Lost Time Accident vs. Medical-Only Claim: What Is the Difference?
A lost time accident and a medical-only claim both start with a work injury, but only a lost time claim pays for missed wages. Under NCCI's experience rating plan, medical-only losses count at just 30% of their actual value, so lost time claims weigh far more on the mod.
| Comparison area | Lost Time Accident | Medical-Only Claim |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | Injury with missed work | Injury treated without missed work |
| Coverage/concept type | Medical plus wage benefits | Medical benefits only |
| Effect on experience mod | No medical-only reduction | Only 30% counted where NCCI's ERA applies |
| Common mistakes | Counting reduced tasks as lost time | Ignoring many small claims |
What Are the Most Common Mistakes With Lost Time Accidents?
- Assuming one waiting period. Wage-loss rules differ by state, so quoting one number to a client creates E&O exposure.
- Mixing OSHA and insurance definitions. An OSHA lost time label does not exist, so mixing terms can garble OSHA compliance data.
- Counting only working days. OSHA counts weekends too, so a short count understates injury severity rate figures.
- Comparing rates with different bases. An LTIFR or LTIR on another hours base cannot match a peer's safety metrics.
- Skipping incident management. Late reports and no transitional work offer can stretch a small injury into weeks away.
Sources and References
- IRMI. Lost time accident.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 1904.7 - General recording criteria.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Clarification on how OSHA uses the formula to calculate incident rates.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities.
- NCCI. Insights From NCCI's Experience Rating Plan Review.