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Workers’ Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for workers killed, disabled, or injured on the job, is observed annually on April 28. In 2020, 4,764 workers in the United States suffered fatal work injuries. Over that period, the private construction industry accounted for 1,008 deaths, or 21.2 percent of total deaths. This was followed by transportation and warehousing with 805 deaths, or 16.9 percent of total deaths.
Industry | Number of fatal work injuries |
---|---|
Construction |
1,008 |
Transportation and warehousing |
805 |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting |
511 |
Administration and support & waste management services |
413 |
Manufacturing |
340 |
Retail trade |
275 |
Other services, except public administration |
188 |
Accommodation and food services |
160 |
Wholesale trade |
155 |
Health care and social assistance |
119 |
There were 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2020, a 5.7-percent decrease from 2019. Private industry employers experienced a 21.5-percent decrease in workplace injuries in 2020, while illness cases more than quadrupled over the year. Nonfatal illnesses include work-related cases of COVID–19.
Industry | Total | Injuries | Illnesses |
---|---|---|---|
Health care and social assistance |
806,200 | 453,300 | 352,900 |
Manufacturing |
373,300 | 312,400 | 60,900 |
Retail trade |
341,100 | 311,600 | 29,500 |
Transportation and warehousing |
206,900 | 193,500 | 13,400 |
Accommodation and food services |
191,000 | 175,900 | 15,100 |
Construction |
174,000 | 165,300 | 8,700 |
Wholesale trade |
132,200 | 118,400 | 13,800 |
Administration and support & waste management services |
103,400 | 89,600 | 13,800 |
Other services, except public administration |
54,700 | 49,200 | 5,500 |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting |
45,900 | 40,900 | 5,000 |
In 2020, there were 806,200 injury and illness cases in private health care and social assistance, a 40.1-percent increase from 2019. This was driven by a 958.1-percent increase in illness cases. Private retail trade experienced a 13.8-percent decrease in total injury and illness cases for 2020, despite a 217.1-percent increase in illness cases.
These data are from the Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. To learn more about fatal injuries, see “National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2020.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not collect data on fatal work illnesses. We also have more charts on fatal work injuries. To learn more about nonfatal injuries and illnesses, see “Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses – 2020” and charts on nonfatal injuries and illnesses.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, A look at workplace deaths, injuries, and illnesses on Workers’ Memorial Day at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2022/a-look-at-workplace-deaths-injuries-and-illnesses-on-workers-memorial-day.htm (visited December 12, 2024).