News Release Information
24-179-BOS
Friday, February 09, 2024
Fatal Work Injuries in Connecticut — 2022
Fatal work injuries totaled 34 in 2022 for Connecticut, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner William J. Sibley noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Connecticut was up from the previous year. (See chart 1.) Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 57 in 1998 to a low of 23 in 2021. Nationwide, a total of 5,486 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2022, a 5.7-percent increase from 5,190 in 2021, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
Chart 1. Number of fatal occupational injuries by employee status, Connecticut, 2013–22
| Year |
Total |
Wage and salary |
Self-employed |
|
2013
|
29 |
13 |
16 |
|
2014
|
35 |
25 |
10 |
|
2015
|
44 |
33 |
11 |
|
2016
|
28 |
22 |
6 |
|
2017
|
35 |
28 |
7 |
|
2018
|
48 |
34 |
14 |
|
2019
|
26 |
20 |
6 |
|
2020
|
29 |
25 |
4 |
|
2021
|
23 |
18 |
5 |
|
2022
|
34 |
28 |
6 |
Fatal event or exposure
In Connecticut, transportation incidents resulted in 12 fatal work injuries and accounted for 35 percent of all fatal workplace injuries in the state. (See chart 2 and table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were up from seven over the year.
Falls, slips, and trips accounted for seven fatalities, up from three in 2021. Contact with objects and equipment resulted in six fatalities, unchanged from the prior year. Violence and other injuries by persons or animals resulted in five work-related deaths, compared to two in 2021.
Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal event in 2022, accounting for 38 percent of fatal work injuries. Falls, slips, and trips was the second-most common fatal event (16 percent), followed by violence and other injuries by persons or animals along with exposure to harmful substances or environments (15 percent each).
Chart 2. Percent distribution of total fatal occupational injuries by event, United States and Connecticut, 2022
| Event |
United States |
Connecticut |
|
Transportation incidents
|
38 |
35 |
|
Falls, slips, trips
|
16 |
21 |
|
Contact with objects and equipment
|
14 |
18 |
|
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals
|
16 |
15 |
|
All other
|
18 |
12 |
Industry
The private construction and the private transportation and warehousing industry sectors both had the highest number of fatalities in Connecticut with nine each, up from six and four in the previous year, respectively. (See table 2.) Falls, slips, or trips resulted in 5 of the 9 fatalities in the construction industry, while 6 of the 9 fatalities in the transportation and warehousing industry were attributed to transportation incidents. The specialty trade contractors subsector accounted for 6 of the 9 fatal workplace injuries in construction, and the long-distance general freight trucking industry group accounted for 5 of the 9 fatal injuries in transportation and warehousing.
Occupation
The transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 12. (See table 3.) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 10 of the fatalities among transportation and material moving workers. The construction and extraction occupational group had the second-highest number of fatal workplace injuries, with construction trades workers suffering all seven work-related deaths.
Additional highlights
Men accounted for 94 percent of the work-related fatalities in Connecticut, similar to the national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 34 percent of the fatalities for men in Connecticut, with falls, slips, and trips following at 22 percent.
White non-Hispanics accounted for 59 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 58 percent of work-related deaths.
Workers 55-64 years old accounted for 32 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2022, compared to 21 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
Of the 34 fatal work injuries in Connecticut, 82 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for wage and salary workers was transportation incidents; falls, slips, and trips was the most frequent fatal event for self-employed workers.
Technical Note
Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, is a count of all fatalities resulting from workplace injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI uses a variety of state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This ensures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For the 2022 national data, over 27,200 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI, see the BLS Handbook of Methods and the CFOI definitions.
Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, some of which may be outside the scope of other agencies or regulatory coverage. Comparisons between CFOI counts and those released by other agencies should account for the different coverage requirements and definitions used by each agency. For more information on the scope of CFOI, see Scope of the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries: Concepts.
Latency Cases. Latent fatal occupational injury cases occur when the date of injury differs from the date of death. In some cases, the death occurs in a different year than the occupational injury and are known as cross-year latent cases. In 2022, there were 186 cases nationally where this occurred, and 157 of these latent cases occurred more than 30 days prior to the start of 2022. For more information on latent cases, see Understanding latency in fatal occupational injuries.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. CFOI reports fatal workplace injuries only. These may include fatal workplace injuries complicated by an illness such as COVID-19. Fatal workplace illnesses not precipitated by an injury are not in scope for CFOI. CFOI does not report any illness related information, including COVID-19. Additional information is available on the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, Compensation, Occupational Requirements, and Work Stoppages Statistics.
Acknowledgments. BLS thanks the Connecticut Department of Labor for their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that provided source documents used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation divisions); the Federal Railroad Administration; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; state vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of health, labor, and industrial relations and workers' compensation agencies; state and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.
Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.
Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Connecticut, 2021–22
| Event or exposure |
2021 |
2022 |
| Number |
Number |
Percent |
|
Total
|
23 |
34 |
100 |
|
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals
|
2 |
5 |
15 |
|
Intentional injury by person
|
2 |
5 |
15 |
|
Homicides--Intentional injury by other person
|
2 |
3 |
9 |
|
Shooting by other person--intentional
|
2 |
3 |
9 |
|
Suicides--Self-inflicted injury--intentional
|
-- |
2 |
6 |
|
Hanging, strangulation, asphyxiation--intentional self-harm
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Transportation incidents
|
7 |
12 |
35 |
|
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle
|
3 |
8 |
24 |
|
Roadway noncollision incident
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Fires and explosions
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Falls, slips, trips
|
3 |
7 |
21 |
|
Falls to lower level
|
3 |
7 |
21 |
|
Fall through surface or existing opening
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Fall through surface or existing opening more than 30 feet
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Other fall to lower level
|
3 |
6 |
18 |
|
Exposure to harmful substances or environments
|
4 |
3 |
9 |
|
Exposure to other harmful substances
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Contact with objects and equipment
|
6 |
6 |
18 |
|
Struck by object or equipment
|
6 |
5 |
15 |
|
Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Excavation or trenching cave-in
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Overexertion and bodily reaction
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
NOTE: Data for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
|
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Connecticut, 2021–22
| Industry |
2021 |
2022 |
| Number |
Number |
Percent |
|
Total
|
23 |
34 |
100 |
|
Private Industry
|
21 |
31 |
91 |
|
Goods producing
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Natural resources and mining
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Construction
|
6 |
9 |
26 |
|
Construction
|
6 |
9 |
26 |
|
Specialty trade contractors
|
4 |
6 |
18 |
|
Manufacturing
|
-- |
4 |
12 |
|
Manufacturing
|
-- |
4 |
12 |
|
Plastics and rubber products manufacturing
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Plastics product manufacturing
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Other plastics product manufacturing
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Service providing
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Trade, transportation, and utilities
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Transportation and warehousing
|
4 |
9 |
26 |
|
Truck transportation
|
-- |
6 |
18 |
|
General freight trucking
|
-- |
6 |
18 |
|
General freight trucking, long-distance
|
-- |
5 |
15 |
|
Support activities for transportation
|
2 |
3 |
9 |
|
Support activities for road transportation
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Motor vehicle towing
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Information
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Financial activities
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Professional and business services
|
5 |
3 |
9 |
|
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
|
5 |
3 |
9 |
|
Administrative and support services
|
5 |
3 |
9 |
|
Services to buildings and dwellings
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Educational and health services
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Health care and social assistance
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Social assistance
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Leisure and hospitality
|
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Other amusement and recreation industries
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Fitness and recreational sports centers
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Other services, except public administration
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Other services, except public administration
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Civic and social organizations
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Civic and social organizations
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Public administration
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Government
|
2 |
3 |
9 |
|
Federal government
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
State government
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
Local government
|
1 |
3 |
9 |
|
NOTE: Data for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
|
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Connecticut, 2021–22
| Occupation |
2021 |
2022 |
| Number |
Number |
Percent |
|
Total
|
23 |
34 |
100 |
|
Management occupations
|
1 |
2 |
6 |
|
Other management occupations
|
1 |
2 |
6 |
|
Miscellaneous managers
|
-- |
2 |
6 |
|
Business and financial operations occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Computer and mathematical occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Architecture and engineering occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Life, physical, and social science occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Community and social service occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Legal occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Educational instruction and library occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Healthcare support occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Protective service occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Food preparation and serving related occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
|
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
Building cleaning and pest control workers
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
Pest control workers
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Pest control workers
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Grounds maintenance workers
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
|
Grounds maintenance workers
|
3 |
3 |
9 |
|
Personal care and service occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Sales and related occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Office and administrative support occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Construction and extraction occupations
|
6 |
7 |
21 |
|
Construction trades workers
|
-- |
7 |
21 |
|
Construction equipment operators
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Electricians
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Electricians
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Roofers
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Roofers
|
-- |
1 |
3 |
|
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Production occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Transportation and material moving occupations
|
6 |
12 |
35 |
|
Motor vehicle operators
|
3 |
10 |
29 |
|
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers
|
-- |
10 |
29 |
|
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
|
-- |
10 |
29 |
|
NOTE: Data for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
|
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, Connecticut, 2021–22
| Worker characteristics |
2021 |
2022 |
| Number |
Number |
Percent |
|
Total
|
23 |
34 |
100 |
|
Employee status
|
|
|
Wage and salary workers
|
18 |
28 |
82 |
|
Self-employed
|
5 |
6 |
18 |
|
Gender
|
|
|
Men
|
-- |
32 |
94 |
|
Women
|
-- |
2 |
6 |
|
Age
|
|
|
25 to 34 years
|
4 |
5 |
15 |
|
35 to 44 years
|
-- |
8 |
24 |
|
45 to 54 years
|
9 |
7 |
21 |
|
55 to 64 years
|
5 |
11 |
32 |
|
Race or ethnic origin
|
|
|
White, non-Hispanic
|
13 |
20 |
59 |
|
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic
|
-- |
3 |
9 |
|
Hispanic or Latino
|
6 |
8 |
24 |
|
Asian, non-Hispanic
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
NOTE: Data for all years are revised and final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria. N.e.c. means "not elsewhere classified." CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event.
|
United States Department of Labor
