News Release Information
25-119-CHI
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Fatal Work Injuries in South Dakota — 2023
Fatal work injuries totaled 20 in 2023 for South Dakota, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that the number of work-related fatalities in South Dakota was down from the previous year. (See chart 1.) Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 46 in 1999 to a low of 20 in 2013, 2019, 2021, and 2023. Nationwide, a total of 5,283 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2023, a 3.7-percent decrease from 5,486 in 2022, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
Chart 1. Number of fatal occupational injuries by employee status, South Dakota, 2014–23| Year | Total | Wage and salary | Self-employed |
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2014 | 29 | 15 | 14 |
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2015 | 21 | 9 | 12 |
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2016 | 31 | 16 | 15 |
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2017 | 30 | 19 | 11 |
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2018 | 32 | 19 | 13 |
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2019 | 20 | 13 | 7 |
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2020 | 32 | 20 | 12 |
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2021 | 20 | 9 | 11 |
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2022 | 27 | 13 | 14 |
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2023 | 20 | 12 | 8 |
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
Transportation incidents (9) were the most frequent type of fatal event in South Dakota, accounting for 45 percent of all fatal work injuries in the state. Nationally the share was 37 percent. (See chart 2 and table 1.)
Contact incidents (5) accounted for 25 percent of South Dakota workplace fatalities; nationally the share was 15 percent.
Chart 2. Percent distribution of total fatal occupational injuries by event, United States and South Dakota, 2023| Event | United States | South Dakota |
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Transportation incidents | 37 | 45 |
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Contact incidents | 15 | 25 |
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All other | 48 | 30 |
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Note: Percents may not add to total due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
The agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector had the highest number of fatalities with seven. (See table 2.)
Contact with objects and equipment resulted in 3 of the 7 agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector fatalities.
The oilseed and grain farming industry group accounted for four of the sector’s fatal workplace injuries.
OccupationThe management occupational group tied for the highest number of fatalities with five. (See table 3.) Contact with objects and equipment resulted in three of the management fatalities. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers accounted for all five of the major group’s fatal workplace injuries.
The transportation and material moving occupational group also had five workplace fatalities.
Worker characteristicsWage and salary workers accounted for 60 percent of workplace fatalities in South Dakota; the self-employed comprised the remaining 40 percent. (See chart 1 and table 4.) Nationally, wage and salary workers comprised 83 percent of fatalities.
Workers 55 years and older accounted for 60 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2023, compared to 35 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
White non-Hispanics accounted for 85 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 56 percent of work-related deaths.
Revision of Classification Systems
The 2022 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and the updated Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) were implemented with the release of 2023 data. As a result of these changes, comparisons between 2023 CFOI data and previous years should be made with caution. Refer to the national release technical note for more information.
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. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI, see the national CFOI release Technical notes, the BLS Handbook of Methods, and the CFOI definitions.
Acknowledgments. BLS appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that provided source documents used to identify fatal work injuries nationally. See the national CFOI release Technical Notes for details on cooperating entities.
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, South Dakota, 2023| Event or Exposure | Number | Percent (%) |
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All events and exposures | 20 | 100 |
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Violent acts | -- | -- |
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Transportation incidents | 9 | 45 |
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Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle | 6 | 30 |
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Roadway collision with other vehicle(s) | 4 | 20 |
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Roadway collision with other vehicle(s)-intersecting, turning | 2 | 10 |
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Roadway collision with other vehicle(s)-moving in opposite directions, oncoming | 2 | 10 |
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Explosions and fires | -- | -- |
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Falls, slips, trips | -- | -- |
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Exposure to harmful substances, environments | -- | -- |
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Contact incidents | 5 | 25 |
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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. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, South Dakota, 2023| Industry | Number | Percentage (%) |
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Total | 20 | 100 |
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Private industry | 19 | 95 |
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Natural resources and mining | -- | -- |
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Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 7 | 35 |
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Crop production | 6 | 30 |
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Oilseed and grain farming | 4 | 20 |
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Other crop farming | 1 | 5 |
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Hay farming | 1 | 5 |
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Animal production and aquaculture | 1 | 5 |
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Cattle ranching and farming | 1 | 5 |
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Construction | 4 | 20 |
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Construction | 4 | 20 |
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Manufacturing | -- | -- |
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Trade, transportation, and utilities | -- | -- |
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Information | -- | -- |
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Financial activities | -- | -- |
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Professional and business services | -- | -- |
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Educational and health services | 1 | 5 |
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Health care and social assistance | 1 | 5 |
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Hospitals | 1 | 5 |
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General medical and surgical hospitals | 1 | 5 |
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General medical and surgical hospitals | 1 | 5 |
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Leisure and hospitality | -- | -- |
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Other services (except public administration) | 1 | 5 |
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Other services (except public administration) | 1 | 5 |
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Repair and maintenance | 1 | 5 |
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Automotive repair and maintenance | 1 | 5 |
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Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance | 1 | 5 |
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General automotive repair | 1 | 5 |
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Government | 1 | 5 |
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Federal government | -- | -- |
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State government | -- | -- |
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Local government | 1 | 5 |
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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. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, South Dakota, 2023| Occupation | Number | Percentage (%) |
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All occupations | 20 | 100 |
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Management occupations | 5 | 25 |
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Other management occupations | 5 | 25 |
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Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | 5 | 25 |
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Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | 5 | 25 |
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Business and financial operations occupations | -- | -- |
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Computer and mathematical occupations | -- | -- |
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Architecture and engineering occupations | -- | -- |
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Life, physical, and social science occupations | -- | -- |
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Community and social service occupations | -- | -- |
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Legal occupations | -- | -- |
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Educational instruction and library occupations | -- | -- |
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Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations | -- | -- |
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Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations | 1 | 5 |
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Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners | 1 | 5 |
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Healthcare support occupations | -- | -- |
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Protective service occupations | -- | -- |
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Food preparation and serving related occupations | -- | -- |
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Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations | -- | -- |
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Personal care and service occupations | -- | -- |
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Sales and related occupations | -- | -- |
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Office and administrative support occupations | -- | -- |
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Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations | -- | -- |
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Construction and extraction occupations | 4 | 20 |
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Construction trades workers | 4 | 20 |
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Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations | -- | -- |
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Production occupations | -- | -- |
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Transportation and material moving occupations | 5 | 25 |
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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. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, South Dakota, 2023| Demographic | Number | Percentage (%) |
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Total | 20 | 100 |
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Employee status | |
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Wage and salary workers | 12 | 60 |
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Self-employed | 8 | 40 |
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Sex | |
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Male | -- | -- |
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Female | -- | -- |
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Age | |
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Under 16 years | -- | -- |
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16 to 17 years | -- | -- |
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18 to 19 years | -- | -- |
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20 to 24 years | -- | -- |
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25 to 34 years | -- | -- |
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35 to 44 years | -- | -- |
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45 to 54 years | 5 | 25 |
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55 to 64 years | 5 | 25 |
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65 years and over | 7 | 35 |
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Race or ethnic origin | |
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White, non-Hispanic | 17 | 85 |
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Black or African-American, non-Hispanic | -- | -- |
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Hispanic or Latino | -- | -- |
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American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic | -- | -- |
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Asian, non-Hispanic | -- | -- |
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Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic | -- | -- |
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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. CFOI fatal injury counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. |
Last Modified Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025
United States Department of Labor
