Workplace Fatalities Down 3.7%, According to BLS
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released its 2023 national census of fatal occupational injuries. The census, which represents the most recent figures, discusses key findings related to fatal occupational injuries in 2023. As a whole, fatal injuries were down 3.7% in 2023 compared to 2022, which saw 5,486 fatal injuries. There were 5,283 total fatal work injuries in 2023.
The census found that a worker died every 99 minutes from a work-related injury in 2023 compared to every 96 minutes in 2022.
Transportation-related incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal event, with 1,942 fatal injuries accounting for 36.8% of all work-related fatalities.
Fatalities due to violent acts totaled 740 in 2023. Homicides accounted for 61.9% of violent acts and 8.7% of all work-related fatalities.
Opioids were the primary source of 162 fatalities and a contributor to an additional 144 fatalities where multiple drugs were the source.
Worker Characteristics
In 2023, women represented 18.3% of workplace intentional injuries by a person. Yet, this demographic made up just 8.5% of overall occupational fatalities during the same period.
In addition, 1,089 occupational fatalities occurred among workers between the ages of 55 and 64, accounting for 20.6% of total fatalities for the year.
Fatal Events and Exposures
Construction had the most fatalities (1,075) among all industry sectors in 2023; this year also had the industry’s highest number of fatalities since 2011. Falls, slips and trips accounted for 39.2% of all construction fatalities, with transportation incidents accounting for another 22.3% of fatalities.
- The transportation and warehousing sector had the second most fatalities at 930 in 2023. However, it was an 11.7% decrease from 1,053 fatalities in 2022.
- Workers between the ages of 25 and 34 had the highest number of fatalities due to violent acts. There were 121 homicides and 58 suicides.
Occupation
Workers in transportation and material moving occupations represented the group with the most fatalities at 1,495 fatalities in 2023. However, fatalities for this group declined 7.7% from 2022, which was driven by an 11.9% decrease in fatal injuries to heavy and tractor trailer truck drivers.
There were no statistically significant increases in the 2023 fatal injury rate among the following occupational groups:
- Farming, fishing and forestry
- Transportation and material moving
- Construction and extraction
- Installation, maintenance and repair
- Protective service occupations
- Building, grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
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Article Published By: Zywave, Inc.
