News Release Information
26-633-DAL
Friday, April 10, 2026
Fatal Work Injuries in New Mexico — 2024
Fatal work injuries totaled 32 in 2024 for New Mexico, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Acting Regional Commissioner Jerome Watters noted that the number of work-related fatalities in New Mexico was down 15.8 percent from 38 in 2023. (See chart 1.) The fatal work injury rate was 3.6 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers in 2024, a decrease from a rate of 4.5 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, New Mexico, 2015–24| Year | Total | Wage and salary | Self-employed |
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2015 | 35 | 35 | -- |
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2016 | 41 | 37 | 4 |
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2017 | 44 | 41 | 3 |
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2018 | 43 | 40 | 3 |
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2019 | 55 | 50 | 5 |
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2020 | 37 | 34 | 3 |
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2021 | 53 | 53 | -- |
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2022 | 57 | 52 | 5 |
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2023 | 38 | 38 | -- |
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2024 | 32 | 30 | 2 |
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
Fatal event or exposureTransportation incidents (18) were the most frequent type of fatal event in New Mexico, accounting for 56 percent of all fatal work injuries in the state. Nationally the share was 38 percent. Worker deaths from transportation incidents were down from 22 over the year. (See chart 2 and table 1.)
Exposure to harmful substances, environments (7) accounted for 22 percent of New Mexico worker fatalities; nationally the share was 14 percent.
Chart 2. Percent distribution of total fatal occupational injuries by event, United States and New Mexico, 2024| Event | United States | New Mexico |
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Transportation incidents | 38 | 56 |
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Exposure to harmful substances, environments | 14 | 22 |
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Contact incidents | 15 | 9 |
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All other | 33 | 13 |
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Note: Percents may not add to total due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
Fatalities in the transportation and warehousing sector declined to 7 in 2024 from 11 the previous year. (See table 2.)
Transportation incidents resulted in 6 of the 7 transportation and warehousing sector fatalities.
The general freight trucking industry group accounted for six of the sector’s fatal workplace injuries.
OccupationThe transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 14. (See table 3.) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 11 of the major group’s 14 fatal workplace injuries.
Fatal work injuries declined by two over the year in both the transportation and material moving and construction and extraction occupational groups.
Worker characteristicsWage and salary workers accounted for 94 percent of fatal workplace injuries in New Mexico; the self-employed comprised the remaining 6 percent. (See chart 1 and table 4.) Nationally, wage and salary workers comprised 82 percent of fatalities.
Fatalities among Hispanic or Latino workers decreased by 3 from 13 the previous year.
White non-Hispanics accounted for 44 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 56 percent of work-related deaths.
Workers aged 25-34 years old accounted for 31 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2024, compared to 17 percent of on-the-job fatalities 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 New Mexico Environment Department Occupational Health and Safety Bureau 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, New Mexico, 2023–24| Event or Exposure | 2023 | 2024 |
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| Number | Number | Percent (%) |
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All events and exposures | 38 | 32 | 100 |
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Transportation incidents | 22 | 18 | 56 |
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Aircraft incidents | -- | 3 | 9 |
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In-flight crash, collision | -- | 3 | 9 |
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Low altitude entanglement | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle | 17 | 11 | 34 |
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Roadway collision with other vehicle(s) | 11 | 7 | 22 |
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Roadway collision with other vehicle(s)-moving in same direction | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Roadway collision with other vehicle(s)-moving in opposite directions, oncoming | -- | 6 | 19 |
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Roadway noncollision incident | -- | 4 | 13 |
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Roadway noncollision- vehicle overturn | -- | 4 | 13 |
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Nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Nonroadway noncollision incident | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Nonroadway noncollision- vehicle overturn | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Exposure to harmful substances, environments | 5 | 7 | 22 |
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Exposure to harmful substances | 4 | 7 | 22 |
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Contact incidents | 5 | 3 | 9 |
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Contact with animals | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Bitten or stung by animal | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Bite or sting- insects, 'bugs' | -- | 1 | 3 |
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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, New Mexico, 2023–24| Industry | 2023 | 2024 |
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| Number | Number | Percent (%) |
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Total | 38 | 32 | 100 |
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Private industry | 33 | 29 | 91 |
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Natural resources and mining | 5 | 8 | 25 |
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Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | -- | 4 | 13 |
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Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 5 | 4 | 13 |
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Support activities for mining | -- | 4 | 13 |
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Support activities for mining | -- | 4 | 13 |
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Support activities for mining | -- | 4 | 13 |
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Construction | 5 | 4 | 13 |
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Construction | 5 | 4 | 13 |
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Manufacturing | 4 | -- | -- |
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Trade, transportation, and utilities | -- | 7 | 22 |
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Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 7 | 22 |
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Truck transportation | 5 | 6 | 19 |
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General freight trucking | 3 | 6 | 19 |
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General freight trucking, long-distance | -- | 5 | 16 |
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General freight trucking, long-distance, truckload | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Support activities for transportation | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Support activities for air transportation | -- | 1 | 3 |
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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 | -- | -- | -- |
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Leisure and hospitality | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Accommodation and food services | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Food services and drinking places | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Restaurants and other eating places | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Restaurants and other eating places | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Limited-service restaurants | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Other services (except public administration) | -- | -- | -- |
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Government | 5 | 3 | 9 |
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Federal government | -- | 1 | 3 |
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State government | 3 | 1 | 3 |
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Local government | -- | 1 | 3 |
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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, New Mexico, 2023–24| Occupation | 2023 | 2024 |
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| Number | Number | Percent (%) |
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All occupations | 38 | 32 | 100 |
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Management occupations | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Other management occupations | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Food preparation and serving related occupations | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Food and beverage serving workers | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Fast food and counter workers | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Fast food and counter workers | -- | 1 | 3 |
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Construction and extraction occupations | 8 | 6 | 19 |
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Construction trades workers | 5 | 3 | 9 |
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Transportation and material moving occupations | 16 | 14 | 44 |
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Air transportation workers | -- | 3 | 9 |
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Aircraft pilots and flight engineers | -- | 3 | 9 |
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Motor vehicle operators | 16 | 11 | 34 |
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Driver/sales workers and truck drivers | 16 | 11 | 34 |
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Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | -- | 11 | 34 |
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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, New Mexico, 2023–24| Demographic | 2023 | 2024 |
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| Number | Number | Percent (%) |
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Total | 38 | 32 | 100 |
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Employee status | |
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Wage and salary workers | 38 | 30 | 94 |
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Self-employed | -- | 2 | 6 |
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Sex | |
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Male | 34 | -- | -- |
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Female | 4 | -- | -- |
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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 | 6 | -- | -- |
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25 to 34 years | 8 | 10 | 31 |
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35 to 44 years | 7 | 6 | 19 |
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45 to 54 years | 7 | 5 | 16 |
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55 to 64 years | 5 | 6 | 19 |
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65 years and over | 5 | -- | -- |
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Race or ethnic origin | |
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White, non-Hispanic | 16 | 14 | 44 |
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Black or African-American, non-Hispanic | 3 | -- | -- |
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Hispanic or Latino | 13 | 10 | 31 |
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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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Person of multiple races, non-Hispanic | -- | -- | -- |
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Other or not reported, non-Hispanic | -- | 4 | 13 |
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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, April 10, 2026
United States Department of Labor
