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A look at workplace deaths, injuries, and illnesses on Workers’ Memorial Day
April 28, 2022
Workers’ Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for workers killed, disabled, or injured on the job, is observed annually on April 28. In 2020, 4,764 workers in the United States suffered fatal work injuries. Over that period, the private construction industry accounted for 1,008 deaths, or 21.2 percent of total deaths. This was followed by transportation and warehousing with 805 deaths, or 16.9 percent of total deaths.
Number of fatal work injuries, selected private industries, 2020
Industry
Number of fatal work injuries
Construction
1,008
Transportation and warehousing
805
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
511
Administration and support & waste management services
413
Manufacturing
340
Retail trade
275
Other services, except public administration
188
Accommodation and food services
160
Wholesale trade
155
Health care and social assistance
119
There were 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2020, a 5.7-percent decrease from 2019. Private industry employers experienced a 21.5-percent decrease in workplace injuries in 2020, while illness cases more than quadrupled over the year. Nonfatal illnesses include work-related cases of COVID–19.
Number of nonfatal work injuries and illnesses, selected private industries, 2020
Industry
Total
Injuries
Illnesses
Health care and social assistance
806,200
453,300
352,900
Manufacturing
373,300
312,400
60,900
Retail trade
341,100
311,600
29,500
Transportation and warehousing
206,900
193,500
13,400
Accommodation and food services
191,000
175,900
15,100
Construction
174,000
165,300
8,700
Wholesale trade
132,200
118,400
13,800
Administration and support & waste management services
103,400
89,600
13,800
Other services, except public administration
54,700
49,200
5,500
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
45,900
40,900
5,000
In 2020, there were 806,200 injury and illness cases in private health care and social assistance, a 40.1-percent increase from 2019. This was driven by a 958.1-percent increase in illness cases. Private retail trade experienced a 13.8-percent decrease in total injury and illness cases for 2020, despite a 217.1-percent increase in illness cases.
United States Department of Labor
