Connecticut Workplace Fatalities Rise for Second Straight Year

02.04.2020
HR & Safety

Fatal occupational injuries in Connecticut rose 37% in 2018, increasing from 35 to 48.

From 2017 to 2018, the rate of work-related deaths in Connecticut shot up from 1.9 deaths to 2.8 deaths per 100,000 workers.

Nationwide, there were 5,250 fatal work-related injuries in 2018, according to the National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

That’s an increase of 103 from the 5,147 deaths in 2017, although the national fatal injury rate—3.5 per 100,000 workers—remained unchanged.

The 48 deaths in 2018 were the most occupational fatalities since 2010, when Connecticut had 49.

The numbers continued to fall in 2011 (37), 2012 (36), and 2013 (29) before jumping to 35 in 2014, and 44 in 2015.

Vehicle Accidents

Occupational fatalities in Connecticut fell to 28 in 2016 before shooting back up to 35 in 2017 and 48 in 2018.

In 2018, a total of 19 Connecticut deaths resulted from transportation incidents, which include car accidents and pedestrians struck by vehicles, while 10 were the result of a fall, slip, or trip.

All but seven of the Connecticut fatalities were males, mirroring the national trend.

Eight deaths resulted from violence or other injuries by persons or animals, six were from exposure to harmful substances or environments, while five died from contact with objects or equipment.

Of the 48 deaths in 2018, 41 were males. This mirrors the national trend where 92% of work-related deaths in 2018 were men.

National Picture

Nationwide, Texas had the most fatal occupational injuries in 2018 with 488, followed by California at 422, Florida at 322, and New York with 271.

Wyoming, with 31 deaths, had the highest rate of deaths per 100,000 workers at 11.5 in 2018. Alaska, with 32 deaths, was second with a rate of 9.9 per 100,000.

Nationally, fatal falls, which peaked at 887 in 2017, fell 11% to 791 in 2018.

Transportation incidents remain the most frequent type of fatal event with the 2,080 transportation-related deaths in 2018 accounting for 40% of all work-related fatalities.

Unintentional overdose deaths due to non-medicinal use of drugs or alcohol increased 12% from 2017 to 2018, going from 275 to 304 fatalities, the sixth-straight year of increases in that category.


For more information, contact CBIA’s Phillip Montgomery (860.244.1982).

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