The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”) has released its latest census findings regarding deaths suffered by workers on the job in this country. Read, “Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2023,” Economic News Release published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on December 19, 2024 (USDL-24-2564).
It compiles data regarding fatal work injuries that were reported to the federal agency for calendar year 2023 (not 2024). The data comes from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) Injury Tracking Application and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
The BLS provides the following “key findings” in its release:
- A worker died every 99 minutes from a work-related injury in 2023 compared to 96 minutes in 2022.
- Transportation incidents were the most frequent type of fatal event, accounting for 36.8 percent (1,942) of all occupational fatalities in 2023.
- Fatalities due to violent acts totaled 740 in 2023. Homicides (458) accounted for 61.9 percent of violent acts and 8.7 percent of all work-related fatalities.
- Opioids were the primary source of 162 fatalities and a contributor in an additional 144 fatalities where multiple drugs were the source.
- The fatal injury count and rate for Black or African American workers decreased from 2022 to 2023. The count dropped 10.2 percent from 734 in 2022 to 659 in 2023 and the rate dropped from 4.2 to 3.6 cases per 100,000 FTE workers.
In response to this 2023 Census report, OSHA Assistant Secretary Doug Parker stated:
“In November, the bureau reported a 20-year low in the rate of non-fatal worker injuries and illnesses in 2023, and we are further encouraged by the news that the number and rate of fatal worker injuries also dropped in 2023.…
“Despite these promising trends, there is more work to be done. In 2023, 5,283 workers lost their lives. That means a worker dies every 99 minutes. Every worker’s death is a profound tragedy that leaves a lasting void for families, friends, co-workers and communities. We can and we must do better.”
Construction Industry Remains the Most Dangerous Workplace for Fatal Accidents
In reviewing the BLS Census research, one of the first concerns for safety agencies and those advocating for worker victims and their loved ones remains the unacceptably high risk for those working construction in this country. It is not getting safer for our construction workers. Read, “Construction fatalities hit highest number since 2011,” written by Zachary Phillips and published by Construction Dive on December 19, 2024.
From the Census, we know that more construction workers died on the job than anyone else. There were 1,075 fatal work accidents in construction reported during 2023.
This was the highest number of deaths for the construction industry since 2011.
Read, Census, page 3, Chart 3.
Falls Cause Most Construction Worker Deaths in 2023
The Census also tallies the type of accidents that caused the most deaths on our construction sites. From the data we learn that in 2023, falls remain the greatest danger of dying on a construction site:
- Over a third (39.2%) of construction work fatalities were caused by falls (slip and fall; trip and fall).
- As for fatal falls, well over half (64.4%) happened when the worker fell from a height between 6 feet and 30 feet.
- Sadly, the data includes a horrific death for 67 workers who fell from a height exceeding 30 feet.
- And, we know that portable ladders and stairs were found to be the cause of 109 construction fall deaths in 2023.
For more, see: Fatal Falls in Construction Caused by Employers Failing to Plan for Worker Safety; Deadly Construction Accidents: Falls Remain a Leading Cause of Death for Construction Workers; and Construction Falls: Scaffolds and Ladders Can Cause Serious Accidents.
Transportation Second Greatest Risk of Construction Site Fatalities in 2023
The BLS reports that almost a quarter of construction deaths (22.3%) were the result of transportation incidents. This includes motor vehicle accidents or collisions involving a moving machine or vehicle on the construction site.
For more, see: Dangers From Work Trucks Facing Road Construction Workers in Chicago; and Workers Face Great Danger from Illinois Highway Road Work Construction Accidents.
Danger on the Job: Unacceptably High Number of Worker Deaths in This Country
The good news is that, overall, there were fewer reported worker deaths in this country in 2023 than the prior year, ending a spiraling upward trend in on-the-job fatalities. The BLS found a 3.7% decrease in fatalities comparing 2023 with 2022. Also, the fatal injury rate went down to 3.5 per 100,000 in 2023 from 3.7 per 100,000 in 2022. Stopping the rising death rates, year after year, is encouraging. Read, The Reality of Widespread Industrial Work Accident Deaths in Illinois and Indiana: Warning to Our Workers.
However, the new Census report for 2023 is still extremely concerning. Employers and those with possession, custody, and control of aspects of the worksite continue to disregard known safety measures and legal duties of care, resulting in fatal work accidents. Workers are disrespected and their voices unheard.
From Executive Director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (“National COSH”) Jessica E. Martinez, in response to the BLS Census release:
“We know from long experience that the surest way to make our workplaces safer is to put workers at the center of the conversation. Workers know their jobs. They know where the hazards are and how to eliminate them. Every worker deserves to come home safe and sound at the end of every shift. The way to achieve that goal is to listen to workers, take action and put their ideas into practice.”
And, of importance, National COSH Director Martinez points out that these Census numbers may not reflect the true dangers facing workers today, since not all worker deaths are “properly recorded.”
Justice for Workers Who Die on the Job in Illinois and Indiana
For those worker victims and their loved ones, it is vital they understand the true risks they face on their jobsite and how best to avoid these dangers. It is naïve to assume that employers and other third parties are fulfilling their duties of safety and care; these numbers confirm that all too often, they are failing to do so.
When accidents happen, not only the employer but others may have legal liability for the harm suffered not only by the worker who has died from job injuries but for the worker’s loved ones in the aftermath. Both state and federal law may provide avenues for justice after an independent investigation into the incident. For more, read:
- Winter Weather Construction Work Accidents
- Construction Industry Personal Protective Equipment: New Federal Standard Effective January 2025
- Task List for Chicago Road Construction Accident Victims Seeking Justice for Work Injuries
- Construction Accident Expert Witnesses in Work Accident Claims
- Chicago Road Construction Worker Accidents: List of Third Parties Potentially Liable for On-the-Job Injuries
- Fatal Road Work Zone Accidents in Indiana and Illinois
- 10 Types of Injury Damages That May Be Awarded to Accident Victims.
The latest BLS Census is important to study and understand insofar as the risks faced by all workers in the United States. The reduction in deaths reported in 2023 as compared with 2022 is a step in the right direction for workers and their families.
However, these numbers may be underreported. And for our construction workers, particularly those working road construction in Chicagoland and in Project Rebuild Illinois, the news that more construction worker deaths happened in 2023 than in any year since 2011 is a grave warning. Please be careful out there!
