Last year was the deadliest year for workers in this this country since 2007. There were over 5,300 deaths from workplace accidents in 2019 according to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Steady increase
An American worker was killed every 99 minutes from a work-related injury last year, according to the BLS. The number of fatalities has increased consistently over the last five years.
Among the most disturbing data was that Hispanic or Latino workers had the most significant increase in injury deaths among race and ethnic groups. In 2019, 1,088 Hispanic or Latino workers died in work-place accidents. The was a substantial rise from the 879 deaths reported for these workers in 2016.
Most affected occupations
Drivers suffered 1,481 work-related deaths in 2019 which comprised 20 percent of all worker fatalities last year. Deaths in the construction industry reached 1,066 which was a 12-year high. Service industry workers was third with 762 fatalities.
Workers in the hunting and fishing industry had the highest mortality rates per 100,000 full-time workers with 145 fatalities per 100,000 workers. Loggers, pilots and flight engineers and roofs had the next highest rates in this category.
The number of deaths caused by transportation incidents were significant in 2019. There were 2,122 of these fatalities. The next highest number were 880 deaths attributed to falls, slips and tripping.
There were 841 deaths from workplace violence and other injuries caused by people or animals, including homicides and suicides, last year. The fourth highest cause was contact with objects and workers with 732 deaths followed by 642 fatalities from exposure to harmful substances or environment including substance overdoses.
An attorney can help injured workers or their families pursue their rights to compensation. They can help them obtain evidence and assure that rights are not inadvertently lost during legal proceedings.
