Wyoming Ranks as State with Most Workplace Fatalities

Tampa, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – A new report has found that Wyoming tops the country in workplace fatalities.  

Health experts at Tampa-based NiceRx analyzed information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 State Occupational Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities data  

to determine where and when fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries occurred. The resulting report, US Workplace Accident Report’, also categorized occupational injuries by age, sex, day, month, industry and affected body part, as well as what the most dangerous industries to work in are, and when you’re most likely to sustain an injury.  

The top 10 states in the study accounted for 645 fatalities, the study found. Wyoming topped the list with 13 fatalities per every 100,000 workers, or 31 fatalities; followed by Alaska with 10.7 per 100,000, or 32 fatalities; South Dakota at 7.8 per 100,000 (also 32 fatalities) and West Virginia with 6.6 per 100,000 (57 fatalities).  

“While only 31 deaths were recorded across the state, Wyoming’s small population means the rate is actually much higher than it initially seems,” the report said. “Alaska has the second highest rate of fatal occupational injuries… The rugged terrain, icy conditions and remoteness of much of Alaska brings with it additional risks that could have translated into a higher fatality rate. 

The top 10 states for the most fatal occupational injuries included Montana (6 per 100,000); Louisiana (5.9 per 100,000) and a three-way tie between Arkansas, Indiana and Kentucky (5.4 per 100,000).  

For non-fatal occupational injuries, Vermont topped the list with 2,896.54 per 100,000 workers, or 9,600 injuries total.  

“The state is home to large manufacturing and agriculture industries, which could at least in part explain the very high accident rate,” the report said.  

Maine ranked number two for non-fatal injuries with 2,811.11  per 100,000 with a total of 19,100 injuries; followed by Nevada with 2,308.11 per 100,000 (34,700 total injuries), Wisconsin with 2,238.66 per 100,000 (70,400 total injuries) and Washington with 2,230.84 per 100,000 (89,300 total injuries).  

 The report noted that non-fatal injury data was not available for Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and South Dakota. 

The report found the construction industry to be the most dangerous with 1008 fatalities per year – 134 more than any other industry. The utility industry was the least dangerous, the report said, with only 29 fatalities. Transportation and warehousing was the second most dangerous with 874, followed by natural resources and mining (704), agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (574), and administrative support, waste management and remediation services with 497.  

In terms of body parts, injuries to the head are the most fatal, the report said, with 992 incidents. Head injuries accounted for up to 46 percent of all fatal injuries, the report found. The trunk, or torso, accounted for 826 fatalities, followed by the neck with 248. Those body areas saw substantially more fatal injuries than other areas of the body – the lower extremities only had 72 fatalities while the upper extremities had only 20.  

The report also ound that the summer months are the most dangerous for workers. There were 493 recorded incidences in August, compared to 488 in July, 475 in May and 472 in June. The report estimated that the high rate of injury during the summer could be related to hot weather or “people being more relaxed and therefore paying less attention.” December, with only 353 fatal incidents, was the least dangerous month.  

The most likely day of the week to suffer a fatal injury in the workplace is Thursday, the report found, with 922 cases that day. The least dangerous day for workplace injuries is Sunday, with only 341 fatal incidents.  

People between the ages of 45 and 65 account for 42.26 percent of fatal workplace injuries; while 92.13 percent of all fatal injuries are men.  

“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 report said.