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In September each year, mental health organizations and people across the United States raise awareness for suicide prevention. In 2019, there were 307 workplace fatalities by suicide, the highest level on record. Workplace suicides increased by 1.0 percent from 2018 and by 34.1 percent from the 10-year low in 2015.
Year | Workplace suicides |
---|---|
1992 |
205 |
1993 |
222 |
1994 |
214 |
1995 |
221 |
1996 |
204 |
1997 |
216 |
1998 |
221 |
1999 |
218 |
2000 |
221 |
2001 |
230 |
2002 |
199 |
2003 |
218 |
2004 |
206 |
2005 |
180 |
2006 |
208 |
2007 |
196 |
2008 |
263 |
2009 |
263 |
2010 |
270 |
2011 |
250 |
2012 |
249 |
2013 |
282 |
2014 |
280 |
2015 |
229 |
2016 |
291 |
2017 |
275 |
2018 |
304 |
2019 |
307 |
The top 13 detailed occupations in which worker suicides were most prevalent accounted for 39.4 percent (121 cases) of all workplace suicides in 2019. Seven of these occupations, accounting for 19.2 percent (59 cases) of workplace suicides, included managerial or supervisory duties. Of these, two occupations involved supervising food service workers, and two occupations involved supervising sales workers. Two other nonsupervisory occupations—military-specific occupations and police and sheriff’s patrol officers—involved protective service responsibilities.
Occupation | Workplace suicides |
---|---|
Heavy and tractor trailer drivers |
24 |
First-line supervisors of retail sales workers |
20 |
Military-specific occupations |
17 |
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers |
13 |
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers |
9 |
Construction laborers |
7 |
Maintenance and repair workers, general |
6 |
Food service managers |
5 |
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers |
4 |
Electricians |
4 |
First-line supervisors of nonretail sales workers |
4 |
Chief executives |
4 |
Police and sheriff’s patrol officers |
4 |
Since 2004, the 45- to 54-year-old age group has had the highest number of suicides each year. In 2019, this age group accounted for 25.7 percent (79 cases) of workplace suicides.
These data are from the Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities program. To learn more, see “National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2019.” We also have more charts on work-related deaths.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Workplace suicides continued to rise in 2019 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/workplace-suicides-continued-to-rise-in-2019.htm (visited November 11, 2024).