1 Worker Dies Every 99 Minutes in the U.S. Per OSHA

At least 14 workers lose their lives on the job every day in the U.S., authorities say. That’s according to the latest report from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which also reveals that some industries and occupations continue to be plagued by fatal work accidents, despite authorities’ enforcement efforts.

Shedding crucial light on this OSHA Report, here’s a deeper dive into:

• Fatal Work Accident Statistics at a Glance
• What Are the Deadliest Industries & Occupations for Workers?
• Top 4 Causes of Worker Deaths in 2023 
• Which Workers Have the Highest Risk of Deadly Job Accidents?
• What Does It All Mean for Employers & Workers?

This analysis of OSHA’s findings on deadly work accidents shares the newest data, with numbers from OSHA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for 2023, the most current year for which complete and verified data is available.

To explore specific OSHA enforcement actions against companies that have put workers’ lives at risk, check out the:

• $248k OSHA fine for an East Texas pallet company
• $257k OSHA fine for a Temple, TX, manufacturing facility
• $338k OSHA fine for a Houston power coating company
• $810.7k OSHA fine for a Houston tank cleaning contractor

Fatal Work Accident Statistics at a Glance

Every hour and a half, one U.S. worker loses their life while working. That fact helps put the scope of the losses into perspective, but it doesn’t provide contact for trends or indicate whether worker deaths have risen or fallen in recent years.

The following statistics can:

• 5,283 workers were killed in 2023.
• With the above, the fatality rate per every 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers is 3.5%.
• Compared to 2022 when 5,486 worker deaths were reported, worker deaths in 2023 declined 3.7%.
• In 2022, one worker in the U.S. lost their life every ~96 minutes.

While the declining trend in worker deaths may be the promising start of a long-term drop, a handful of industries and specific job roles remain incredibly risky and associated with the highest rates of fatal accidents.

What Are the Deadliest Industries & Occupations for Workers?

Exceptionally high fatality rates have persisted for workers in the following industries, with the newest statistics from OSHA and BLS featured below.

1. Construction, 1,075 Worker Deaths in 2023: As the single deadliest industry since 2011, construction fatalities disproportionately impact foreign-born workers. Falls and ladder incidents are leading causes of fatal construction accidents.
2. Transportation & Warehousing, 930 Worker Deaths in 2023: As the second deadliest sector for U.S. workers, transportation and warehousing are among the riskiest industries, despite a nearly 12% decrease in fatalities when compared to 2022.
3. Waste Management & Remediation, 484 Worker Deaths in 2023: Landscaping and transportation accidents are the leading causes of waste management and remediation worker deaths on the job.
4. Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, 448 Worker Deaths in 2023: While transportation incidents are the top cause of fatalities for these workers, deadly accidents involving foreign objects are also largely to blame.
5. Manufacturing, 391 Worker Deaths in 2023: Falling and hazardous exposures are the top two leading causes of deadly accidents for manufacturing workers.

Looking at worker fatalities and risks from the perspective of occupation, and the deadliest jobs, based on the latest OSHA and BLS findings, are:

1. Transportation and material moving workers: Suffering the most on-the-job fatalities in 2023, these workers include truckers, bus operators, rideshare drivers, forklift operators, and others. Remarkably, there was a nearly 8% drop in fatal accidents involving transportation and material moving workers from 2022 to 2023.
2. Protective service occupations: Police, firefighters, and other first responders had a ~18% decline in fatal incidents in 2023. Despite that drop, 276 protective service officers died on duty last year, with 1 in 3 of these deaths involving a homicide.
3. Cleaning and maintenance workers: Also declining in 2023, deaths for building maintenance workers and groundskeepers still remained high at 337, with falling accidents continuing to be a top cause of fatalities for these laborers.

Which Workers Have the Highest Risk of Deadly Job Accidents?

Dialing in a bit more, OSHA and BLS provide a more nuanced view of which workers endure the greatest job-related risks, specifying certain demographic details. In fact, according to authorities, workers with the highest rates of death on the job tend to be characterized by the following:

• Age: Workers 55 to 64 had the highest number of job-related fatalities in 2023, representing 1,089 individuals or just over 1 in 5 who lost their lives in a fatal work incident.
• Gender: More than 91% of worker deaths affect men. However, women comprise ~18% of the victims of workplace homicides. Women are also more likely to be involved in deadly work incidents in certain sectors, including healthcare, social work, and retail.
• Ethnicity: Most on-the-job deaths for Hispanic, Latino, and African American workers occur in transportation, warehousing, and private construction accidents.

What Does It All Mean for Employers &  Workers?

Putting the numbers into real-world perspective, here are some key takeaways that can help employers and workers moving forward.

For Employers

• Hire for Safety: Initial screening, background checks, and possibly even drug testing can go a long way toward hiring well-intentioned workers who have consistent track records of following the rules and promoting safety.
• Focus on Training: Employers in construction, transportation, and other high-risk industries should prioritize comprehensive, multilingual safety training programs, as well as ongoing safety training for all staff.
• Maintain Equipment: Investing in fall protection, machinery guards, and proper personal protective equipment (PPE) can minimize the risk of serious workplace accidents, especially when paired with the other items in this list. 
• Consistently Prioritize Safety: Workplace safety isn’t a one-and-done task; it’s a long-term, ongoing effort that can save lives when employers make it a top priority year in and year out.

For Workers

• Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PPE can include safety glasses, hard hats, gloves, respirators, face shields, hearing protection, and more. If you’re unclear about what PPE is appropriate for your occupation, check out OSHA PPE guidelines here.   
• Report Unsafe Conditions: See something, say something. That means reporting any risky or questionable leaks, equipment malfunctions, strange smells, or other red flags that something’s wrong. Speaking up can prevent accidents and save your co-workers’ lives. 
• Know Your Rights: You’re entitled to safe working conditions. To get up to speed with your basic rights as a worker, see your Worker Bill of Rights.

You also have rights if you are hurt on the job. The sooner you find out about those rights after a work accident, the better. That’s what it can take to move forward, seek justice, and give yourself better chances of a full, fair recovery.