On-The-Job Deaths Reach Highest Level in 12 Years

A total of 5,333 workers died as a result of on-the-job injuries in 2019 – a nearly 2% increase from 2018 and the highest number of fatalities since 5,657 were recorded in 2007, according to Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data released Dec. 16, 2020 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The data also shows that the overall rate of fatal workplace injuries was 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers for the third successive year. 

Other highlights from the report:

• 1 out of 5 workplace fatalities in 2019 were Hispanic or Latino workers. The 1,088 deaths among this group marks a 13.2% jump from the previous year and the most since the census began in 1992.

• Transportation-related fatalities rose 2% to 2,122 while accounting for 39.8% of all fatal work-related injuries.

• Slips, trips and falls resulted in 880 deaths – an 11.3% increase from the previous year.

• Workers in construction and extraction occupations experienced 1,066 fatal injuries – a 6.3% increase from 2019 and the highest total since 2007.

• Drivers/sales workers and truck drivers experienced 1,055 fatal injuries, the most since 2003.

• Deaths related to unintentional overdoses from non-medical drug or alcohol use while at work climbed slightly to 313, marking the seventh straight annual increase in this category.

In addition to the more than 5,000 workers who died on the job last year, more than 2.8 million more suffered nonfatal workplace injuries, which the BLS says is unchanged from 2017. It was the first year since 2012 that the total number of reported cases did not decline.

Employers have a legal and ethical obligation to provide a safe work environment for their employees by eliminating hazards, creating and enforcing safety standards and providing adequate training for workers and supervisors. If you or a loved one are injured or killed on the job in California, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you receive the benefits you desperately need.

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Cole, Fisher, Cole, O’Keefe + Mahoney is Central California’s leading workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm. With over 30 years of successful experience, we are committed to securing maximum benefits for our clients in the Fresno, California area. Schedule a free consultation today.