Bureau of Labor Statistics Releases 2023 Fatal and Nonfatal Injuries and Illnesses Report

The start of a new year offers the perfect opportunity for reflection. It's a chance to celebrate progress, assess past challenges and identify areas for improvement. As EHS professionals, we take this time to examine the latest insights in workplace safety to guide us forward. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released its annual report for nonfatal and fatal occupational injuries and illnesses. While these statistics can be harrowing, recent data fortunately shows a decrease in both areas. From 2022 to 2023, nonfatal injuries and illnesses decreased 8.4% to 2.6 million, and fatalities dropped 3.7% to 5,283. Other key statistics from the BLS census include the following: 

• The construction industry experienced the most fatalities (1,075), with falls, slips and trips accounting for roughly 39% and transportation incidents accounting for over 22% of fatalities. 

• The transportation and warehousing sector recorded 930 fatalities, marking a 11.7% decrease from the 1,053 fatalities in 2022. The fatal injury rate for workers in this sector also dropped from 14.1 to 12.9 cases per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers. 

• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of fatalities (1,495) among occupational groups. However, fatalities in this group dropped by 7.7%. 

• The total recordable injuries and illnesses in private industry healthcare and social assistance dropped to 562,500, a decrease from 665,300 in 2022. 

• Nonfatal injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work (DAFW) decreased 20.1% to 946,500. 

Albeit these aren’t huge changes, and we typically see annual fluctuations, but how can we ensure that these numbers continue to decrease? That’s the million-dollar question for most of us EHS professionals. This data highlights the progress we’ve made and serves as a reminder of the work that lies ahead. These statistics aren’t just numbers; they represent real lives, real families and real opportunities to create safer, healthier workplaces. 

As we continue growing and thinking about how we can mature as workers and organizations, it’s crucial to realize we must be introspective, honest and confident about where we are  and where we want to go. It’s easy for organizations to say they “want to do better,” but it’s something completely different to truly implement new and different processes in the hopes of change and continuous improvement. True progress requires more than good intentions; it demands action, accountability and a commitment to improve at every level. This means not only setting clear goals but also empowering teams with the tools, training and resources needed to achieve them. Only then can we start to make true progress. 

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