New report reveals big jump in the number of U.S. worker fatalities

Oh, no! Newly released data from the federal government has revealed that U.S. workplaces are becoming increasingly more dangerous. That’s why you can’t let down your guard when it comes to the safety of your crew members.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported that there were 5,333 fatal workplace injuries in 2019, which is a 1.6% increase from the 5,250 employee deaths reported in 2018.

The big jump in reported deaths is a continuation of a trend that started in 2016. After many years of steadily decreasing, the number of workplace deaths jumped to 5,190 in 2016 from 4,836 in 2015, and the upward trend has continued since then.

The 5,333 fatal occupational injuries in 2019 was the highest annual number since 2007, and it means that one American worker died every 99 minutes in 2019.

According to the data, there was a big jump in the number of fatal injuries to employees age 55 and over, which increased 7.6% to 2,005 in 2019 from 1,863 in 2018.

(From the Dec. 28, 2020, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To sign up for a no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click here.)