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Workplace deaths from weather and atmospheric conditions
June 03, 2022
In 2020, 55 fatal work injuries occurred where the primary or secondary source was weather and atmospheric conditions. This was a 29.5-percent decline from 2019 (78 deaths) and the lowest count since 2015 (52 deaths). Most of these deaths have weather and atmospheric conditions as the secondary source. Primary source refers to the object, substance, exposure, or bodily motion responsible for a death. The secondary source refers to the object, substance, or person (if any) that generated the primary source or contributed to the event.
Number of fatal work injuries due to weather and atmospheric conditions, by source classification, all ownerships, 2011–20
Year
Total primary and secondary source
Primary source
Secondary source
2011
104
4
100
2012
65
8
57
2013
92
5
87
2014
84
4
80
2015
52
6
46
2016
67
13
54
2017
61
4
57
2018
75
7
68
2019
78
13
65
2020
55
2
53
Workplace deaths with weather and atmospheric conditions as the primary source of injury dropped 84.6 percent from 2019 (13 deaths) to 2020 (2 deaths). The 2020 count is the lowest over the 2011–20 period. The 2 deaths in 2020 were both due to lightning.
Fatal injuries where weather and atmospheric conditions were the secondary source declined 18.5 percent from 2019 (65 deaths) to 2020 (53 deaths). This was the lowest yearly count since 2015 (46 deaths). In 2020, 41.5 percent (22 deaths) were from “Ice, sleet, or snow.” Another 35.8 percent (19 deaths) were from “High winds, gusts, and turbulence.”
United States Department of Labor
