Last year was the deadliest for U.S. workers in nearly a decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 5,190 people were killed on the job in 2016, the most since 2008. The rate of fatal injuries for full-time workers rose to 3.6 per 100,000, the highest since 2010.

Categories with significant increases included homicides, suicides, and overdoses. Higher death rates spanned most age groups, as well as many races and ethnic groups, with the exception of Hispanic or Latino people.

Here are some details from the BLS report:

  • Suicides at work rose to a record 291, and the 500 homicides were the most since 2010.
  • Drug and alcohol overdoses jumped to 217 cases, the fourth straight increase of at least 25 percent, amid the nation's opioid epidemic.
  • Rate of deaths for workers 55 and older rose to a record for the age group.
  • Transportation incidents were the most common, making up 40 percent of all workplace deaths.
  • Loggers had the highest rate of fatal work injuries, at 136 per 100,000 workers.
  • Deaths from falls, slips, or trips increased 6 percent to 849; they were up more than 25 percent for roofers, carpenters, tree-trimmers, and truck drivers.
  • Deaths by fire and explosion were down 27 percent from 2015.

Continue Reading for Free

Register and gain access to:

  • Thought leadership on regulatory changes, economic trends, corporate success stories, and tactical solutions for treasurers, CFOs, risk managers, controllers, and other finance professionals
  • Informative weekly newsletter featuring news, analysis, real-world cas studies, and other critical content
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical coverage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

News