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Unintentional overdoses from nonmedical use of drugs accounted for 388 workplace deaths in 2020. The number of fatal workplace overdoses increased in each of the last 8 years. The number in 2020 was the highest since these data began in 2011. Unintentional overdoses from nonmedical use of drugs include overdoses from stimulants such as methamphetamine and from narcotics such as fentanyl.
Year | Workplace deaths due to unintentional overdoses |
---|---|
2011 |
73 |
2012 |
65 |
2013 |
82 |
2014 |
114 |
2015 |
165 |
2016 |
217 |
2017 |
272 |
2018 |
305 |
2019 |
313 |
2020 |
388 |
Unintentional overdoses from nonmedical use of drugs represented more than half (57.7 percent) of the cases in the broader event category, exposure to harmful substances or environments. This was the only event category with an increase in workplace deaths in 2020. In total, there were 4,764 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2020, a 10.7-percent decrease from 5,333 in 2019.
Major event or exposure | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transportation incidents |
2,083 | 2,077 | 2,080 | 2,122 | 1,778 |
Falls, slips, trips |
849 | 887 | 791 | 880 | 805 |
Violence and other injuries by person or animal |
866 | 807 | 828 | 841 | 705 |
Contact with objects and equipment |
761 | 695 | 786 | 732 | 716 |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments |
518 | 531 | 621 | 642 | 672 |
Fires and explosions |
88 | 123 | 115 | 99 | 71 |
These data are from the Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program. To learn more, see “National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2020.” We also have more charts on fatal work injuries. For information about COVID-19 and these data, see our Frequently Asked Questions on accessing our data.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unintentional overdoses accounted for 388 workplace deaths in 2020 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2022/unintentional-overdoses-accounted-for-388-workplace-deaths-in-2020.htm (visited November 05, 2024).