Bureau Of Labor Statistics (BLS) Releases 2021 Worker Fatality Statistics, Worker Characteristics Associated With Worker Fatalities Revealed

As the world becomes more mechanized and computers replace with convenience and ease many of the manual tasks that we are used to doing in our work, it would not be farfetched to think that workplace injuries in Louisiana and throughout the rest of the United States would take a significant downturn. However, surprisingly, a recent report from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tends to prove otherwise.

At the end of December, 2022, the BLS released a report that includes key findings from the 2021 United States Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, and provides important insights for employers and employees regarding worker safety and worker fatalities. Those key findings include the following insights from the BLS:

• The total number of workplace fatalities that occurred in the United States in 2021 was 5,190. This number represents a 9.8% increase in worker deaths since the year 2020. In 2020, there were 4,764 workplace deaths in the United States. Importantly, the pre-pandemic worker fatality rate was 3.5 worker fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, which increased in 2021 to 3.6 worker deaths per 100,000 full-time workers.
• The data reveals that in the United States a worker was killed every 101 minutes on the job in 2021.
• Fortunately, workplace deaths by worker suicide decreased, following the recent trend downwards. In 2021 there were 236 workplace suicides, and in 2020 there were 259 workplace suicides, representing an 8.9% decrease in total workplace deaths by suicide.
• The number of Black or African American workers who were killed on the job reached an all-time high in 2021. In 2020, Black or African American worker fatalities represented a high 11.4% of total worker fatalities in the United States. This increased to 11.4% in 2021.
• Female workers comprised 8.6% of all workplace fatalities in the United States in 2021. In addition, female workers were also subjected to 14.5% of the total intentional injuries caused by another person in the workplace in 2021.
• The number of worker injuries in the age group 45 years old to 54 years old increased by 13.9%. This worker age group accounted for a total of 20.9% of all workers who were killed on the job in 2021.

Help with a Workplace Injury in Louisiana

If you have been injured on the job in Louisiana and you are unable to work, it is important to learn about your right to Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits. You may be entitled to important and necessary benefits, such as medical costs, treatment, and wage replacement while you are unable to work your regular job. The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your case and to see if they can help you. Contact the Law Offices of Lunsford Baskin & Priebe today to get started by discussing your rights and options with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer.