Every year, the national AFL-CIO produces a report on the state of worker safety and health in America. Titled Death on the Job, it’s released in conjunction with Workers Memorial Day. The AFL-CIO declares that a day to honor workers who died on the job and commit to fighting for safer workplaces.
- Here are some of the highlights of this year’s report, based on 2022, the most recent year comprehensive statistics were available:
- 5,486 workers were killed on the job in the United States.
- An estimated 120,000 workers died from occupational diseases.
- Employers reported nearly 3.5 million work-related injuries and illnesses, an increase from the previous year.
- 43 workers died from heat on the job.
- Workplace homicides and workplace suicides increased 9% and 13%, respectively, from 2021 to 2022.
- The resources of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) are still are too few to be a deterrent: Nationwide, there are 1,875 OSHA inspectors (853 federal and 1,022 state) to inspect 11.5 million workplaces.
