What is TRIR and how is it calculated?
TRIR, the total recordable incident rate, is a safety-industry measure that 29 CFR part 1904 does not define. It applies the incidence rate formula, (N / EH) x 200,000, with N as the number of recordable cases and EH as total hours worked by all employees in the year.
By Cairn. Updated . Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics definitions.
The formula
OSHA's recordkeeping rule, 29 CFR part 1904, does not define TRIR. The quotations below are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: the incidence rate
“Incidence rate is the number of injuries and/or illnesses per 100 full-time workers and were calculated as: (N/EH) X 200,000 where:
N = number of injuries and/or illnesses
EH = total hours worked by all employees during the calendar year
200,000 = base for 100 full-time equivalent workers (working 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year).”
How to calculate it
TRIR = (N ÷ EH) × 200,000
N is the number of cases, EH is the total hours worked by all employees in the calendar year, and 200,000 is the base for 100 full-time workers.
Example, with invented numbers: 6 recordable cases over 400,000 hours worked gives (6 ÷ 400,000) × 200,000 = 3.0.
To compare your rate with employers in your industry, use TRIR and DART benchmarking.
Searched the eCFR text of 29 CFR part 1904 as of October 27, 2026. It contains none of these words or phrases: “TRIR”, “total recordable”, “incidence rate”, “200,000”.
Where the inputs come from
- 29 CFR 1904.7, General recording criteria 13 paragraphs use these words. Read the text on eCFR.
- 29 CFR 1904.29, Recordkeeping Forms and Recording Criteria: Forms 5 paragraphs use these words. Read the text on eCFR.
- 29 CFR 1904.32, Other OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Requirements: Annual summary 6 paragraphs use these words. Read the text on eCFR.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Safety and Health Definitions”. Page last modified November 8, 2023. Read October 29, 2026.
- 29 CFR part 1904. eCFR, text as of October 27, 2026, searched for the words listed above.
Written by Cairn, updated . The quoted text is copied from the sources above. A test compares each quotation with a stored copy of the source, and a separate script compares that copy with the live sources. This page explains the law and is not legal advice.