State's fatal work-injuries decreased in 2023

A total of 70 fatal work-injuries were recorded in Minnesota in 2023 during the annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), down 10 from the 80 fatal work-injuries in 2022. Minnesota's 2023 fatal-injury rate is 2.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers, which dropped from the 2022 rate of 2.8. These and other workplace fatality statistics come from the CFOI, conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor.

Nationally, there were 5,283 fatally injured workers in 2023, down 3.7% from the 2022 count of 5,486 workers. The fatal work-injury rate was 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers, down from 3.7 in 2022.

The CFOI also provided the following statistics for Minnesota's workplace fatalities during 2023.

Industries

• The private trade, transportation and utilities industry sector recorded the highest number of worker fatalities, with 18 cases in 2023. Within this industry sector, fatalities include 10 in transportation and warehousing, six in retail trade and two in wholesale trade.

• The private agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry sector had the second-highest number of worker fatalities, with 16 cases.

• The private construction industry sector had 13 fatalities in 2023.

Occupations

• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatalities in 2023, at 19. This was an increase from 11 fatalities in 2022. Fifteen of the 19 fatalities were motor vehicle operators.

• The construction and extraction occupational group had the second-highest number of fatal workplace injuries with 12, down from 13 fatalities in 2022. Roofers accounted for three fatalities in this group and carpenters accounted for one.

• The management occupational group had the third-highest number of fatal workplace injuries with seven, down from 18 fatalities in 2022. Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers accounted for six of the seven fatalities in this group.

Types of incidents

• Transportation incidents accounted for 25 fatalities, the most for any incident type. Sixteen transportation fatalities occurred during roadway incidents involving one or more motorized land vehicles and four occurred during non-roadway incidents. There was also one animal transportation incident.

• Contact incidents were the second most-frequent fatal work-related injury event in 2023, with 13 fatalities. Six fatalities occurred due to being struck, caught or compressed by running powered equipment. Four fatalities occurred due to being struck by propelled, falling or suspended objects. One occurred due to collapse or engulfment in material and one occurred due to contact with an animal.

• There were 12 fatalities due to falls, slips or trips in 2023. Nationally, this incident included falls to lower level and slip, trip, stumble or fall on same level.

• There were also 12 fatalities due to violent incidents in 2023. This includes five shootings by another person and five incidents of intentional self-harm.

Worker characteristics

• Men accounted for 67 of the 70 fatally injured workers in 2023 and women accounted for the remaining three fatalities (down from 14 in 2022). For both men and women, transportation incidents accounted for the highest number of fatalities.

• More than half of work-related fatalities were among workers age 55 and older (36 fatalities in 2023). Transportation incidents were the leading cause of fatalities for this age group (16 fatalities).

• White, non-Hispanic workers accounted for 61 of the 70 work-related fatalities in 2023.

• Fatal work-related injuries among wage-and-salary workers decreased slightly from 55 in 2022 to 52 in 2023; self-employed workers accounted for 18 fatalities in 2023, compared with 26 in 2022.

NAICS and OIICS comparisons

CFOI data uses the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to group establishments into industries based on the activity in which they are primarily engaged. Fatal injury characteristics are coded using the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS). The 2022 NAICS and OIICS 3.0 updates were implemented in this release of 2023 data.

The NAICS 2022 update resulted in minor revisions within five industries, as well as major revisions within the retail trade and information sectors. Comparison of industry data using NAICS 2022 with prior NAICS coding structures should be made with caution.

The OIICS 3.0 update resulted in a break in series for 2023 case characteristics data. Therefore, year-over-year comparisons have not been included for case characteristics.

Minnesota OSHA fatality investigations

Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) workplace fatality investigation statistics differ from CFOI. MNOSHA Compliance investigates all employee deaths under its jurisdiction that result from an accident or illness caused by or related to a workplace hazard. In federal-fiscal-year 2023 (October 2022 through September 2023), MNOSHA Compliance investigated 24 workplace fatalities (see the MNOSHA Compliance:  Fatalities investigated webpage). The CFOI numbers include Minnesota workplace fatalities caused by traffic accidents, airplane crashes, mining accidents and farm accidents, and accidents to the self-employed, federal workers and railroad workers, none of which are covered by MNOSHA Compliance enforcement.

CFOI program

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' occupational safety and health statistics program, provides the most complete count of fatal work-injuries available. Fatal occupational illnesses are out of scope for CFOI unless precipitated by an acute injury.

The program uses diverse data sources to identify, verify and profile fatal work-injuries. Information about each workplace fatality (occupation and other worker characteristics, equipment being used and circumstances of the event) is obtained by cross-referencing source documents, such as death certificates, workers' compensation records and reports to federal and state agencies. This method assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) collects the information about Minnesota's workplace fatalities for the CFOI.

Minnesota 2023 CFOI tables are available on the DLI Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) webpage. Additional data may be available by calling DLI Research and Data Analytics at 651-284-5428. National data from the CFOI program is available on the BLS Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities webpage.

Media contact:  James Honerman at 651-284-5313 or james.honerman@state.mn.us.