The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released its annual census of fatal occupational injuries that occurred in 2023. According to the press release, 5,283 fatal occupational injuries were recorded in the United States in 2023, representing 3.7% of the 5,486 total in 2022. In addition, the rate of fatal work injuries in 2023 was 3.5 deaths per 100,000 full-time employed (FTE), down from 3.7 in 2022. This data is from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
Some key findings include:
The construction sector had the highest number of deaths (1,075) of all industry sectors in 2023 and was the highest in the sector since 2011. Falls, slips and trips accounted for 39.2% (421) of all construction fatalities, with transportation accidents accounting for another 22.3%. (240) of deaths. Most fatal falls to a lower level (260, or 64.4%) within a building were from a height between 6 feet and 30 feet, while 67 fatal falls were from a height greater than 30 feet. Ladders and ladders were the main source of deaths for 109 people in the construction. A worker died every 99 minutes from a work-related injury in 2023 compared to every 96 minutes in 2022. Transportation accidents were the most common type of fatal event, accounting for 36.8% (1,942) of all occupational deaths in 2023. Opioids were Most commonly the primary source of 162 deaths and a contributor to an additional 144 deaths where polypharmacy was the source.
More results and numbers can be found in the original BLS press release.
