On Dec. 16 the Bureau of Labor Statistics released an annual report on workplace fatalities for 2020 and it showed that workplace fatalities for 2020 decreased by 10.7% in 2020 compared to 2019.
The total of 4,764 workplace injuries represented the lowest annual number of workplace injury deaths since 2013.
While the report does not include COVID-19 illness deaths, the decrease in hours worked, resulting from the economic disruption triggered by the pandemic, likely played a substantial role in the decline.\
Looking at the fatality rate, it also dropped from 3.5 to 3.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. This means that in 2020 a worker died every 111 minutes from a work-related injury.
Some of the key takeaways from the report, as shared from the National Safety Council are:
- Hours worked decreased 9% in 2020, from 296.6 billion hours to 269.9 billion
- Transportation incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal event with 1,778 fatal injuries, accounting for 37.3% of all work-related fatalities
- Although the overall fatality rate decreased, the fatality rate among Hispanic or Latino workers increased, from 4.2 to 4.5 deaths per 100,000 workers
- Unintentional overdose from nonmedical use of drugs increased 24% and accounted for 388 deaths, compared to 313 in 2019
- Suicides decreased 15.6%, from 307 in 2019 to 259 in 2020, representing the lowest count for occupational suicides since 2015
The National Safety Council offers resources to help companies provide safer workplaces:
- COVID-19 resources through the SAFER initiative
- Free NSC toolkits, including the Opioids at Work Employer Toolkit, Fatigue at Work Employer Toolkit and Safe Driving Toolkit
- The Campbell Institute at NSC research, such as “Serious Injury and Fatality Prevention: Perspectives and Practices”
About the Author
EHS Today Staff
EHS Today's editorial staff includes:
Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.
Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.
Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.