News Release Information
26-578-BOS
Friday, March 27, 2026
Fatal Work Injuries in Maine — 2024
Fatal work injuries totaled 19 in 2024 for Maine, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Michael G. Phinney noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Maine was down 29.6 percent from 27 in 2023. (See chart 1.) The fatal work injury rate was 3.0 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers in 2024, a decrease from a rate of 4.2 in 2023. Nationwide, a total of 5,070 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2024, a 4.0-percent decrease from 5,283 in 2023. These data are from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
Chart 1. Number of fatal occupational injuries by employee status, Maine, 2015–24
| Year |
Total |
Wage and salary |
Self-employed |
|
2015
|
15 |
7 |
8 |
|
2016
|
18 |
15 |
3 |
|
2017
|
18 |
13 |
5 |
|
2018
|
17 |
8 |
9 |
|
2019
|
20 |
14 |
6 |
|
2020
|
20 |
16 |
4 |
|
2021
|
19 |
14 |
5 |
|
2022
|
23 |
18 |
5 |
|
2023
|
27 |
19 |
8 |
|
2024
|
19 |
14 |
5 |
|
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
|
Fatal event or exposure
-
Transportation incidents continued to be the most frequent type of fatal event in Maine, accounting for nine, or 47 percent, of all fatal work injuries in 2024. Nationally, the share was 38 percent. Fatal transportation incidents in Maine declined from 15 in 2023. (See chart 2 and table 1.)
-
Exposure to harmful substances or environments accounted for 21 percent of Maine worker fatalities; nationally, the share was 14 percent.
Chart 2. Percent distribution of total fatal occupational injuries by event, United States and Maine, 2024
| Event |
United States |
Maine |
|
Transportation incidents
|
38 |
47 |
|
Exposure to harmful substances, environments
|
14 |
21 |
|
Contact incidents
|
15 |
11 |
|
All other
|
33 |
21 |
|
Note: Percents may not add to total due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
|
Private industry
-
The construction sector had the highest number of fatal injuries with six, up from five the previous year. (See table 2.)
-
Transportation incidents were involved with half of the construction sector fatalities.
-
The specialty trade contractors subsector accounted for four of the sector’s fatal workplace injuries.
Occupation
-
Two occupational groups—construction and extraction and transportation and material moving—together accounted for 47 percent of statewide fatal worker injuries.
-
Each of the two groups had two fewer incidents in 2024 than in 2023. (See table 3.)
-
Motor vehicle operators accounted for all four of the transportation and material moving group’s fatal workplace injuries.
Worker characteristics
-
Wage and salary workers accounted for 74 percent of fatal workplace injuries in Maine; the self-employed comprised the remaining 26 percent. (See chart 1 and table 4.) Nationally, wage and salary workers comprised 82 percent of fatalities.
-
Males accounted for 95 percent of the work-related fatalities in Maine and 92 percent nationally.
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 Maine Bureau of Labor Standards 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.
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Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Maine, 2023–24
| Event or Exposure |
2023 |
2024 |
| Number |
Number |
Percent (%) |
|
All events and exposures
|
27 |
19 |
100 |
|
Violent acts
|
6 |
-- |
-- |
|
Transportation incidents
|
15 |
9 |
47 |
|
Water vehicle incidents
|
4 |
-- |
-- |
|
Capsized or sinking water vehicle (non collision)
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
Incidents onboard water vehicle in normal operation
|
3 |
-- |
-- |
|
Fall, jump from water vehicle
|
3 |
-- |
-- |
|
Pedestrian incidents involving motorized land vehicles
|
-- |
2 |
11 |
|
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in road work zone
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in road work zone
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in nonroadway area
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle
|
6 |
7 |
37 |
|
Roadway collision with object other than vehicle
|
3 |
3 |
16 |
|
Collision with object or animal on side of roadway
|
-- |
3 |
16 |
|
Explosions and fires
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Falls, slips, trips
|
3 |
-- |
-- |
|
Fall to lower level
|
3 |
-- |
-- |
|
Exposure to harmful substances, environments
|
3 |
4 |
21 |
|
Contact incidents
|
-- |
2 |
11 |
|
Collapse, engulfment
|
-- |
2 |
11 |
|
Collapse, engulfment- open trench or excavation
|
-- |
2 |
11 |
|
Overexertion, repetitive motion, and bodily condition
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Note: The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) has published data on fatal occupational injuries for the United States since 1992. During this time, the classification systems and definitions of many data elements have changed. See the CFOI Definitions page (www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries-definitions.htm) for a more detailed description of each data element. 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, Maine, 2023–24
| Industry |
2023 |
2024 |
| Number |
Number |
Percent (%) |
|
Total
|
27 |
19 |
100 |
|
Private industry
|
26 |
16 |
84 |
|
Natural resources and mining
|
4 |
4 |
21 |
|
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
|
4 |
4 |
21 |
|
Fishing, hunting and trapping
|
4 |
-- |
-- |
|
Fishing
|
4 |
-- |
-- |
|
Construction
|
5 |
6 |
32 |
|
Construction
|
5 |
6 |
32 |
|
Specialty trade contractors
|
-- |
4 |
21 |
|
Manufacturing
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Trade, transportation, and utilities
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Transportation and warehousing
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Truck transportation
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Specialized freight trucking
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, long-distance
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Information
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
Financial activities
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Professional and business services
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Educational and health services
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Leisure and hospitality
|
5 |
-- |
-- |
|
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
|
4 |
-- |
-- |
|
Accommodation and food services
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
Food services and drinking places
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
Restaurants and other eating places
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
Other services (except public administration)
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Government
|
-- |
3 |
16 |
|
Federal government
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
State government
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Local government
|
-- |
1 |
5 |
|
Note: The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) has published data on fatal occupational injuries for the United States since 1992. During this time, the classification systems and definitions of many data elements have changed. See the CFOI Definitions page (www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries-definitions.htm) for a more detailed description of each data element. 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, Maine, 2023–24
| Occupation |
2023 |
2024 |
| Number |
Number |
Percent (%) |
|
All occupations
|
27 |
19 |
100 |
|
Management occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
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
|
2 |
-- |
-- |
|
Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers
|
2 |
-- |
-- |
|
Athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers
|
2 |
-- |
-- |
|
Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Healthcare support occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Protective service occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Food preparation and serving related occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Personal care and service occupations
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
Animal care and service workers
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
Sales and related occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Office and administrative support occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations
|
4 |
-- |
-- |
|
Fishing and hunting workers
|
4 |
-- |
-- |
|
Construction and extraction occupations
|
7 |
5 |
26 |
|
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Production occupations
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Transportation and material moving occupations
|
6 |
4 |
21 |
|
Motor vehicle operators
|
-- |
4 |
21 |
|
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers
|
-- |
4 |
21 |
|
Note: The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) has published data on fatal occupational injuries for the United States since 1992. During this time, the classification systems and definitions of many data elements have changed. See the CFOI Definitions page (www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries-definitions.htm) for a more detailed description of each data element. 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, Maine, 2023–24
| Demographic |
2023 |
2024 |
| Number |
Number |
Percent (%) |
|
Total
|
27 |
19 |
100 |
|
Employee status
|
|
|
Wage and salary workers
|
19 |
14 |
74 |
|
Self-employed
|
8 |
5 |
26 |
|
Sex
|
|
|
Male
|
24 |
18 |
95 |
|
Female
|
3 |
-- |
-- |
|
Age
|
|
|
Under 16 years
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
16 to 17 years
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
18 to 19 years
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
20 to 24 years
|
1 |
-- |
-- |
|
25 to 34 years
|
5 |
-- |
-- |
|
35 to 44 years
|
5 |
-- |
-- |
|
45 to 54 years
|
5 |
-- |
-- |
|
55 to 64 years
|
6 |
4 |
21 |
|
65 years and over
|
4 |
4 |
21 |
|
Race or ethnic origin
|
|
|
White, non-Hispanic
|
21 |
-- |
-- |
|
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
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Person of multiple races, non-Hispanic
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Other or not reported, non-Hispanic
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Note: The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) has published data on fatal occupational injuries for the United States since 1992. During this time, the classification systems and definitions of many data elements have changed. See the CFOI Definitions page (www.bls.gov/iif/definitions/census-of-fatal-occupational-injuries-definitions.htm) for a more detailed description of each data element. 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: Friday, March 27, 2026
United States Department of Labor
