Fatal workplace injuries in the U.S. fell by 3.7 percent in 2023, down 203 from 5,486 the previous year, according to a recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

The annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries report stated that while 2022 had the highest overall count of fatal work injuries over the last decade, 2023 saw the first decline in workplace deaths since 2020.

On average, a worker lost their life due to a work-related injury every 99 minutes, compared to the 96-minute interval observed in 2022.

The study revealed a fatal work injury rate of 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers in the U.S., down slightly from the 3.7 per 100,000 FTE recorded in 2022.

“I believe the Biden-Harris administration’s 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,” said Occupational Safety and Health Administration Administrator Doug Parker. “Whether it is our enforcement initiatives, our 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.”

Unfortunately, the BLS report found construction to be the deadliest industry sector in 2023. There were 1,075 construction worker fatalities. This was the highest number of workplace deaths for the construction industry since 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 deaths. Exposure to harmful substances/environments resulted in 200 deaths (18.6 percent). Contact incidents accounted for 148 fatalities (13.7 percent), violent acts took the lives of 46 workers (4.2 percent) and 17 construction workers died in fires or explosions (1.5 percent).

Most fatal construction falls (260 or 64.4 percent) were from a height of between 6 and 30 feet, while 67 fatal falls were from a height of more than 30 feet. Portable ladders and stairs were the primary source of 109 fatalities in the construction industry.

The sector also had a fatal work injury rate of 12.9 fatalities per 100,000 FTE, trailing only transportation and moving (13.6 deaths per 100,000 FTE) and farming, fishing and forestry (24.4 fatalities per 100,000 FTE).

The transportation and warehousing sector had the second most fatalities (930), an 11.7percent decrease from 1,053 fatalities in 2022.

When it comes to the type of fatal injury, transportation incidents remained the most common cause of death, accounting for 36.8 percent (1,942) of all occupational fatalities in 2023.

In 2022, unintentional drug overdoses reached a record high (525 fatalities). That total fell by just 13 deaths in 2023 to 512. According to the report, opioids were the primary source in 162 fatalities and a contributing factor in an additional 144 deaths where multiple narcotics were used.

Workplace suicides increased by 5.7 percent in 2023 to 281, which came on the heels of a

13.1 percent jump in 2022.

There were 740 workplace fatalities due to violent acts in 2023. Homicides accounted for 61.9 percent of those deaths and 8.7 percent of all workplace fatalities.

The report also broke down the number of fatal workplace injuries by state. Ohio tied with Tennessee for ninth with 164 deaths, up from 153 in 2022. Texas topped the list with 564 workplace fatalities, followed by California (439), Florida (306) and New York (246).

When broken down by individual demographics, individuals of white (non-Hispanic) ethnicity experienced the highest number of deaths compared to other race/ethnic origins. The number of deaths among whites decreased from 3,167 in 2022 to 2,963 in 2023. Overall, whites accounted for roughly 56 percent of all workplace deaths.

The number of Hispanic or Latino deaths increased slightly from 1,248 to 1,250, while the number of African American workplace fatalities fell from 734 in 2022 to 659 in 2023.

By gender, women made up 8.5 percent (447) of the total workforce fatal injuries but accounted for 18.3 percent (84) of workplace homicides.

Once again, workers between the ages of 55 and 64 experienced the highest number of fatalities, totaling 1,089 (20.6 percent) in 2023. This marked a decrease from 1,175 fatalities in 2022. Within this age group, transportation incidents were the primary cause of fatalities, accounting for 401 deaths, followed by falls, slips, and trips that caused 226 fatalities.

“Every worker deserves to leave for work without fear for their safety and return home unharmed at the end of the day,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a prepared statement. “This new data shows that too many workers are still dying on the job and that Black and Latino workers are dying on the job at higher rates. The labor movement will not be satisfied until the number of worker deaths is zero.”

Shuler pointed to federal agencies such as OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration that she said have been underfunded by Congress for too long.

“With this data showing more workplace deaths in many industries that are largely nonunionized and affecting workers who may be too intimidated to speak out about unsafe conditions, it’s clear that a union contract is essential for a safe job site. The labor movement will continue fighting to unionize workplaces so that every worker can have the safer conditions that unions bargain for and be protected when raising concerns,” added Shuler.