Thursdays in August Most Likely Days for Workplace Injuries, Study Finds

Tampa, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – If you’re a 45- to 54-year-old man working construction in Wyoming and it’s a Thursday in August, watch your head at work.   

Research from Tampa, Florida-based NiceRX has found that Thursdays in August are the most likely days for workplace injuries. In a study that looked at data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, researchers analyzed fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries across different states, and broke them down by age, sex, day, month, industry and affected body part.   

Researchers found that most fatal occupational injuries happen in August with 493. Summer months July (488), May (475) and June (472) rounded out the top four, with March (451) coming in at number five. The months with the fewest fatal injuries were in the winter with January having only 412 fatalities, followed by November (406), February (369) and December (353).   

Data indicated that Thursday was the most dangerous day of the week with 922 fatal occupational injuries. Wednesday (906) and Monday (852) rounded out the top three. Sunday with 341 fatalities was the least dangerous day of the week, followed by Saturday with 551.   

The research found that the deadliest state for workplace fatalities was Wyoming.  

‘Wyoming is the state where you’re most likely to have a fatal accident at work, with 13 fatalities for every 100,000 workers,” the study said. “While only 31 deaths were recorded across the state, Wyoming’s small population means the rate is actually much higher than it initially seems.”  

Alaska, with 10.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers, was next on the list for fatalities, while South Dakota with 7.8 fatalities was third. Researchers blamed Alaska’s rugged terrain, icy conditions and remoteness as added risks that could have translated into a higher fatality rate. North Dakota came in fourth with 7.4 fatalities per every 100,000 workers.   

The data showed that men were more likely to be fatally injured than women. In fact, men account for 92 percent of all of the fatal workplace injuries, the study said.   

“While men and women do have different habits and may behave differently in certain situations, this huge disparity is likely due to men being more commonly employed in dangerous industries such as construction, mining and commercial fishing,” the study said.   

Age was also a factor on the likelihood of fatal injury. Workers between the ages of 45 to 54 accounted for more than 21 percent of the fatalities, as did workers between the ages of 55 to 64. Workers between 16 and 19 were the least likely to suffer a fatal injury and accounted for less than 2 percent of all fatalities in the workplace.   

Construction was the most dangerous industry to work in, data showed. BLS statistics found that 1,008 construction workers died on the job in a single year – the only industry to have more than 1,000 fatalities. The transportation and warehousing industry was the second most dangerous with 874 deaths.   

Most fatal injuries occurred on the head, researchers said, with 992 fatalities. The body part least likely to result in a fatal workplace injury was the upper extremities.   

On Tuesday, a Spartanburg, S.C. employee was killed in a crash with a Spartanburg deputy.   

The coroner identified the employee as Charles Ricky Graham, 63, an employee of Spartanburg County’s roads and bridges division.   

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said Graham was entering Highway 176 around 1:20 p.m. when his Ford pickup truck was struck by a Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was responding to a call. Lt. Kevin Bobo with the sheriff’s office said the deputy was not in pursuit at the time.   

Graham’s truck was hit on the driver’s side.   

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of our County family members, Charles "Rick" Graham, who died after a crash Wednesday afternoon,” the county said in a statement. “Rick worked for Spartanburg County for nearly 20 years and was a valued member of our Roads & Bridges Department.”   

The county said it would provide counselors for any Spartanburg County employees who need help following the accident.