The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 5,283 fatal work injuries in 2023, down from 5,486 in 2022. The fatal work injury rate was 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers versus 3.7 the prior year. At those rates, 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. Across private industry, construction had the most fatalities (1,075) among all industry sectors in 2023, marking a high for the sector going back to 2011. Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 39.2 percent (421) of all construction fatalities, with transportation incidents accounting for another 22.3 percent (240) of incidents. Most fatal falls to a lower level (260 or 64.4 percent) within construction were from a height between 6 and 30 feet, while 67 fatal falls were from higher points. Stairs and portable ladders were the primary source of 109 fatalities in construction.
Workers in transportation and material moving occupations represented the occupational group with the most fatalities (1,495) in 2023. However, fatalities for the group declined 7.7 percent from 2022, driven by an 11.9 percent decrease in fatal injuries to heavy duty and tractor-trailer truck drivers. The rate for the occupational group also decreased from 14.6 per 100,000 FTE in 2022 to 13.6 in 2023.
The transportation and warehousing sector had the second most fatalities (930), an 11.7-percent decrease from 1,053 fatalities in 2022. The fatal injury rate among workers in this sector also decreased from 14.1 in 2022 to 12.9 cases per 100,000 FTE workers in 2023. Transportation incidents accounted for 71.7 percent (667) of fatalities within the transportation and warehousing sector. Roadway collisions with another vehicle accounted for 249 fatalities and roadway collisions with an object other than a vehicle accounted for 193 fatalities. Within this sector 314 fatalities occurred on an interstate, freeway, or expressway and 117 occurred on local roads or streets.
“The Bureau of Labor Statistics report is more positive news for worker safety and health. 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,” noted DOL Occupational Safety and Health Assistant Secretary Doug Parker. “I believe a worker-centered approach of stronger enforcement combined with our numerous collaborations with employers and labor to embrace health and safety as core values are making a difference. Whether it is our enforcement initiatives, promotion of workplace safety and health management systems, or initiatives to support workplace mental health and safe driving and prevent worker drug overdoses, it all makes a difference in saving lives at work.”
“Despite these promising trends, there is more work to be done. Every worker’s death is a profound tragedy that leaves a lasting void for families, friends, co-workers and communities. We can and must do better,” he concluded.
GUNITE CREW FATALITY
In one of its final 2024 enforcement actions, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Cambridge, Md.-based Coastal Gunite Construction for four serious violations and proposed $40,329 in penalties stemming from fatal injuries a 47-year-old diver suffered during a June 2024 underwater dive test at the Manns Harbor Bridge on Croatan Sound. OSHA investigators learned of a diver becoming unresponsive shortly after descending from a boat to a depth of nearly 20 feet. Once the diver failed to answer radio calls, team members responded and performed CPR while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. Despite those efforts, the diver could not be revived.
Coastal Gunite employs divers for marine operations to perform infrastructure construction, maintenance and repair. Agency investigators identified several safety deficiencies at the Manns Harbor Bridge site, including Coastal Gunite’s failure to assess workers’ fitness for diving and ensure first aid supplies plus manual resuscitator were available on site. In addition, the contractor improperly positioned an air intake to prevent contamination and did not perform regular air purity tests on compressor systems and test air hose pressure annually.
“Ensuring employees are physically fit for commercial diving is a fundamental part of workplace safety,” said OSHA Area Office Director Kim Morton in Raleigh, N.C. “Employers have a duty to protect their workers by implementing strict safety protocols and thorough pre-employment evaluations, particularly in high-risk industries like commercial diving. This tragic incident could have been prevented.”