Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.
How to use this page
United States Value:
Number of fatal occupational injuries in construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utility industries as well as professional and business services per 100,000 workers (3-year estimate)
Appears In:
Number of fatal occupational injuries in construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utility industries as well as professional and business services per 100,000 workers (3-year estimate)
Number of fatal occupational injuries in construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utility industries as well as professional and business services per 100,000 workers (3-year estimate)
Number of fatal occupational injuries in construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utility industries as well as professional and business services per 100,000 workers (3-year estimate)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
Number of fatal occupational injuries in construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utility industries as well as professional and business services per 100,000 workers (3-year estimate)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
US Value: 3.9
Top State(s): New York: 2.7
Bottom State(s): Wyoming: 10.9
Definition: Number of fatal occupational injuries in construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utility industries as well as professional and business services per 100,000 workers (3-year estimate)
Data Source and Years: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2018-2020
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.
Occupational fatalities, also known as workplace fatalities, represent unsafe working conditions and personal risks faced by workers. In 2020, there were 4,764 fatal workplace injuries in the United States — a 10.7% decrease since 2019. Transportation incidents accounted for the majority of fatalities (37.3%). In 2020, fishing and hunting occupations had the highest rates of workplace fatalities, followed by logging and roofer occupations.
Costs related to workplace injury and death were estimated at $163.9 billion in 2020, including workers' compensation, administrative expenses, wage and productivity losses, medical fees and damages to company property.
Populations of workers who experience higher workplace fatalities include:
Workplace fatalities are largely preventable, making them an important target for interventions. Improvements to workplace safety were lauded as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.
Strategies for preventing workplace injuries and fatalities include:
Moreover, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides various training materials for employers to prevent workplace fatalities.
Reducing deaths from work-related injuries in all industries is a Healthy People 2030 objective.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Improvements in Workplace Safety -- United States, 1900-1999.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 48, no. 22 (June 11, 1999): 461–69.
Seabury, Seth A., Sophie Terp, and Leslie I. Boden. “Racial And Ethnic Differences In The Frequency Of Workplace Injuries And Prevalence Of Work-Related Disability.” Health Affairs 36, no. 2 (February 2017): 266–73. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1185.
Smith, G S. “Public Health Approaches to Occupational Injury Prevention: Do They Work?” Injury Prevention 7, no. 90001 (September 1, 2001): 3i–10. https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.7.suppl_1.i3.
Zoorob, Michael. “Does ‘Right to Work’ Imperil the Right to Health? The Effect of Labour Unions on Workplace Fatalities.” Occupational and Environmental Medicine 75, no. 10 (October 2018): 736–38. https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2017-104747.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.