News Release Information
25-123-CHI
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Fatal Work Injuries in Nebraska — 2023
Fatal work injuries totaled 46 in 2023 for Nebraska, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Julie Wilson noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Nebraska was down from the previous year. (See chart 1.) Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 83 in 1994 and 2002 to a low of 35 in 2017. 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, Nebraska, 2014–23
| Year |
Total |
Wage and salary |
Self-employed |
|
2014
|
55 |
37 |
18 |
|
2015
|
50 |
30 |
20 |
|
2016
|
60 |
45 |
15 |
|
2017
|
35 |
23 |
12 |
|
2018
|
44 |
35 |
9 |
|
2019
|
53 |
40 |
13 |
|
2020
|
48 |
28 |
20 |
|
2021
|
39 |
30 |
9 |
|
2022
|
57 |
45 |
12 |
|
2023
|
46 |
37 |
9 |
|
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
|
Fatal event or exposure
-
Transportation incidents (21) were the most frequent type of fatal event in Nebraska, accounting for 46 percent of all fatal work injuries in the state. Nationally the share was 37 percent. (See chart 2 and table 1.)
-
Contact incidents (8) accounted for 17 percent of Nebraska workplace fatalities; nationally the share was 15 percent.
Chart 2. Percent distribution of total fatal occupational injuries by event, United States and Nebraska, 2023
| Event |
United States |
Nebraska |
|
Transportation incidents
|
37 |
46 |
|
Contact incidents
|
15 |
17 |
|
Violent acts
|
14 |
13 |
|
Falls, slips, trips
|
17 |
9 |
|
All other
|
18 |
15 |
|
Note: Percents may not add to total due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
|
Private industry
-
The agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector had the highest number of fatalities with 11. (See table 2.)
-
Transportation incidents resulted in 5 of the 11 agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector fatalities.
-
The crop production subsector accounted for six of the sector’s fatal workplace injuries.
Occupation
-
The transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 14. (See table 3.)
-
Transportation incidents resulted in 10 of the transportation and material moving occupational group fatalities.
-
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers accounted for six of the major group’s fatal workplace injuries.
Worker characteristics
-
Wage and salary workers accounted for 80 percent of workplace fatalities in Nebraska; the self-employed comprised the remaining 20 percent. (See chart 1 and table 4.) Nationally, wage and salary workers comprised 83 percent of fatalities.
-
Males accounted for 93 percent of the work-related fatalities in Nebraska and 91 percent nationally.
-
Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 48 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities, compared to 57 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally. Workers 55 years and older accounted for 41 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2023, compared to 35 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.
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 thanks the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court 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 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, Nebraska, 2023
| Event or Exposure |
Number |
Percent (%) |
|
All events and exposures
|
46 |
100 |
|
Violent acts
|
6 |
13 |
|
Homicides (violent acts by other person)
|
6 |
13 |
|
Shooting by other person
|
3 |
7 |
|
Transportation incidents
|
21 |
46 |
|
Aircraft incidents
|
1 |
2 |
|
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing
|
1 |
2 |
|
Aircraft crash during takeoff or landing into structure, object, or ground
|
1 |
2 |
|
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle
|
13 |
28 |
|
Roadway collision with other vehicle(s)
|
8 |
17 |
|
Roadway collision with other vehicle(s)-moving in same direction
|
2 |
4 |
|
Roadway collision with other vehicle(s)-moving in opposite directions, oncoming
|
3 |
7 |
|
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle
|
1 |
2 |
|
Collision with object or animal on side of roadway
|
1 |
2 |
|
Roadway noncollision incident
|
4 |
9 |
|
Nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles
|
4 |
9 |
|
Nonroadway noncollision incident
|
4 |
9 |
|
Explosions and fires
|
3 |
7 |
|
Explosions
|
3 |
7 |
|
Falls, slips, trips
|
4 |
9 |
|
Exposure to harmful substances, environments
|
4 |
9 |
|
Contact incidents
|
8 |
17 |
|
Collapse, engulfment
|
3 |
7 |
|
Collapse, engulfment- loose materials or liquids
|
3 |
7 |
|
Struck, caught, or compressed by running powered equipment
|
3 |
7 |
|
Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery
|
1 |
2 |
|
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, Nebraska, 2023
| Industry |
Number |
Percentage (%) |
|
Total
|
46 |
100 |
|
Private industry
|
42 |
91 |
|
Natural resources and mining
|
11 |
24 |
|
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
|
11 |
24 |
|
Crop production
|
6 |
13 |
|
Oilseed and grain farming
|
3 |
7 |
|
Corn farming
|
3 |
7 |
|
Animal production and aquaculture
|
5 |
11 |
|
Cattle ranching and farming
|
5 |
11 |
|
Beef cattle ranching and farming, including feedlots
|
3 |
7 |
|
Beef cattle ranching and farming
|
1 |
2 |
|
Construction
|
4 |
9 |
|
Construction
|
4 |
9 |
|
Manufacturing
|
4 |
9 |
|
Manufacturing
|
4 |
9 |
|
Fabricated metal product manufacturing
|
1 |
2 |
|
Other fabricated metal product manufacturing
|
1 |
2 |
|
All other fabricated metal product manufacturing
|
1 |
2 |
|
Ammunition (except small arms) manufacturing
|
1 |
2 |
|
Miscellaneous manufacturing
|
1 |
2 |
|
Other miscellaneous manufacturing
|
1 |
2 |
|
All other miscellaneous manufacturing
|
1 |
2 |
|
Trade, transportation, and utilities
|
-- |
-- |
|
Wholesale trade
|
6 |
13 |
|
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
|
1 |
2 |
|
Lumber and other construction materials merchant wholesalers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Brick, stone, and related construction material merchant wholesalers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods
|
5 |
11 |
|
Transportation and warehousing
|
4 |
9 |
|
Truck transportation
|
3 |
7 |
|
General freight trucking
|
2 |
4 |
|
Specialized freight trucking
|
1 |
2 |
|
Used household and office goods moving
|
1 |
2 |
|
Couriers and messengers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Couriers and express delivery services
|
1 |
2 |
|
Couriers and express delivery services
|
1 |
2 |
|
Information
|
-- |
-- |
|
Financial activities
|
-- |
-- |
|
Professional and business services
|
3 |
7 |
|
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
|
3 |
7 |
|
Administrative and support services
|
1 |
2 |
|
Business support services
|
1 |
2 |
|
Business service centers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Private mail centers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Waste management and remediation services
|
2 |
4 |
|
Waste collection
|
2 |
4 |
|
Waste collection
|
2 |
4 |
|
Solid waste collection
|
2 |
4 |
|
Educational and health services
|
1 |
2 |
|
Educational services
|
1 |
2 |
|
Educational services
|
1 |
2 |
|
Technical and trade schools
|
1 |
2 |
|
Technical and trade schools
|
1 |
2 |
|
Leisure and hospitality
|
-- |
-- |
|
Accommodation and food services
|
1 |
2 |
|
Food services and drinking places
|
1 |
2 |
|
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)
|
1 |
2 |
|
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)
|
1 |
2 |
|
Other services (except public administration)
|
1 |
2 |
|
Other services (except public administration)
|
1 |
2 |
|
Repair and maintenance
|
1 |
2 |
|
Automotive repair and maintenance
|
1 |
2 |
|
Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance
|
1 |
2 |
|
Government
|
4 |
9 |
|
Federal government
|
-- |
-- |
|
State government
|
3 |
7 |
|
Local government
|
-- |
-- |
|
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, Nebraska, 2023
| Occupation |
Number |
Percentage (%) |
|
All occupations
|
46 |
100 |
|
Management occupations
|
9 |
20 |
|
Operations specialties managers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Industrial production managers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Industrial production managers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Other management occupations
|
8 |
17 |
|
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
|
-- |
-- |
|
Other protective service workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Security guards and gambling surveillance officers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Security guards
|
1 |
2 |
|
Food preparation and serving related occupations
|
-- |
-- |
|
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
|
2 |
4 |
|
Supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
First-line supervisors of building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Grounds maintenance workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Grounds maintenance workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Personal care and service occupations
|
1 |
2 |
|
Animal care and service workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Animal trainers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Animal trainers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Sales and related occupations
|
3 |
7 |
|
Office and administrative support occupations
|
1 |
2 |
|
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Postal service workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Postal service mail carriers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
|
4 |
9 |
|
Agricultural workers
|
4 |
9 |
|
Miscellaneous agricultural workers
|
4 |
9 |
|
Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
|
4 |
9 |
|
Construction and extraction occupations
|
-- |
-- |
|
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
|
-- |
-- |
|
Production occupations
|
3 |
7 |
|
Supervisors of production workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Transportation and material moving occupations
|
14 |
30 |
|
Air transportation workers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
|
1 |
2 |
|
Commercial pilots
|
1 |
2 |
|
Motor vehicle operators
|
7 |
15 |
|
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers
|
6 |
13 |
|
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
|
4 |
9 |
|
Material moving workers
|
6 |
13 |
|
Laborers and material movers
|
4 |
9 |
|
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
|
4 |
9 |
|
Refuse and recyclable material collectors
|
2 |
4 |
|
Refuse and recyclable material collectors
|
2 |
4 |
|
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, Nebraska, 2023
| Demographic |
Number |
Percentage (%) |
|
Total
|
46 |
100 |
|
Employee status
|
|
|
Wage and salary workers
|
37 |
80 |
|
Self-employed
|
9 |
20 |
|
Sex
|
|
|
Male
|
43 |
93 |
|
Female
|
3 |
7 |
|
Age
|
|
|
Under 16 years
|
-- |
-- |
|
16 to 17 years
|
-- |
-- |
|
18 to 19 years
|
-- |
-- |
|
20 to 24 years
|
5 |
11 |
|
25 to 34 years
|
7 |
15 |
|
35 to 44 years
|
8 |
17 |
|
45 to 54 years
|
7 |
15 |
|
55 to 64 years
|
8 |
17 |
|
65 years and over
|
11 |
24 |
|
Race or ethnic origin
|
|
|
White, non-Hispanic
|
-- |
-- |
|
Black or African-American, non-Hispanic
|
-- |
-- |
|
Hispanic or Latino
|
-- |
-- |
|
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
|
-- |
-- |
|
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. 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
