Common causes of workplace deaths across the country

You shouldn’t have to fear for your life when you go to work each day. However, there are professions that are inherently dangerous for one reason or another. When you go to work, it’s important that you follow all of the safety guidelines and procedures put in place by your employer. These guidelines might one day save your life. Today, we will explore the common causes of workplace deaths across the country.

The statistics for 2017 have been finalized and released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Close to 5,200 people died on the job in the United States in 2017. The number of work-related fatalities increased by 7 percent from 2015 to 2016 and then stayed about the same for 2017. All industries in 2017 experienced 5,147 deaths.

The most common causes of workplace deaths in 2017 included the following:

• Incidents involving transportation (40 percent)
• Slips, trips and falls (17 percent)
• Injuries by other persons or animals (16 percent)
• Contact with equipment or other objects (14 percent)
• Exposure to harmful substances (10 percent)
• Explosions and fires (2 percent)

The deaths were broken down by industry:

• Construction: 971
• Transportation: 882
• Agriculture and forestry: 581
• Government workplace: 473
• Waste management: 460
• Retail: 287

Fatalities in the workplace continue to be preventable, for the most part. It is in your best interest to adhere to all safety policies, report hazards and help co-workers who might be acting in an unsafe manner. The more you take safety into your own hands, the less likely it is that you will suffer a fatal injury on the job.