Deadly Jobs: A Deep Dive into U.S. Worker Fatalities, Trends & Risks
Workplace safety is more than just a regulatory requirement—it’s a critical aspect of protecting lives and ensuring employee well-being. As we look back at recent data, it’s clear that some industries and occupations continue to face significant risks, and, despite advancements in safety protocols, the number of workplace fatalities remains a pressing concern.
Key Statistics in Workplace Injuries, Illnesses & Fatalities
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were millions of non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses and more than 5,000 workplace fatalities in 2022 (the latest year for which data are available as of the time of this posting).
Here are some other alarming trends:
- Transportation-related incidents comprised nearly 40% of all work-related fatal events, making up the majority of workplace fatalities
- Black and Latino workers were disproportionately affected
- Workers between the ages of 55 and 64 were also disproportionately overrepresented in the total number of work-related fatalities in 2022, comprising more than 21% of all workplace and occupation-related deaths
What Are the Most Common Fatal Workplace Events?
Despite an overall downward trend from pre-pandemic levels, transportation-related incidents remained the leading cause of workplace fatalities in 2022. In fact, these types of events increased by more than 4% from 2021 and made up 37.7% of all work-related fatalities in 2022. Specifically, roadway incidents involving motorized vehicles, such as automobiles and semi-trucks, led to 1,369 worker fatalities, an increase of 9.3% from the previous year.
After transportation incidents, the types of work-related events that led to the most fatalities in 2022 included:
- Exposure to harmful environments and substances
- Unintentional overdose
- Suicide
- Exposure to extreme temperatures
- Homicide
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Contact with dangerous objects or equipment
Fatalities in each of these areas saw increases in 2022 compared to 2021.
Which Industries Are Most Dangerous?
Unsurprisingly, the transportation industry saw the most worker deaths in 2022, with a rate of 14.6 worker fatalities for every 100,000 FTE workers. In total, 1,620 workers in transportation and material moving jobs died due to work-related incidents.
Following transportation and material moving, the industry with the second highest number of workplace fatalities in 2022 was construction and extraction, with a total of 1,056 deaths. Within this industry, slips, trips, and falls accounted for the most worker fatalities (423), and the overall worker fatality rate was 13.0 deaths per 100,000 FTE workers.
Other occupations that saw notable increases in worker fatalities in 2022 included:
- Protective service roles, such as law enforcement officials, parole officers, and firefighters
- Installation, repair, and maintenance workers, such as building and grounds cleaners
- Commercial farming, fishing, and forestry employees, which had the highest rate of worker fatalities (23.5 deaths per 100,000 FTE workers)
How Employers Can Improve Worker Safety
Most workplace accidents, injuries, and fatalities can be attributed to negligence—negligence by employers, coworkers, and other third parties, like equipment manufacturers, product distributors, customers, and unrelated individuals. Employers have a responsibility to do everything possible to ensure workplace safety. As such, employers should adopt a comprehensive approach that encompasses both proactive measures and ongoing improvements aimed at reducing the overall number of injury-causing and fatal incidents.
Steps Employers Can Take to Protect Workers
By implementing these strategies, employers can not only comply with safety regulations but also demonstrate a genuine commitment to their employees' well-being. When they fail to keep workers safe, employers must be held accountable.
When more than 5,000 workers die on the job in a single year, the circumstances behind those deaths tend to reveal the same pattern: a known hazard, a safety standard the employer chose not to follow, and a worker sent into the job without the training, equipment, or backup that would have brought them home. The work injury attorneys at Arnold & Itkin have recovered verdicts and settlements against employers, contractors, and equipment manufacturers across virtually every dangerous industry — trucking, construction, oilfield, manufacturing, and beyond — contributing to a firm record of more than $25 billion recovered on behalf of clients. Arnold & Itkin is based in Houston and takes cases throughout Texas, Louisiana, and nationwide.
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