Craig Rosenbaum | January 9, 2024 | Workplace Accidents

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970 to create and enforce safety and health standards for workers in the United States and provide training and assistance. The agency also tracks and reports workplace accidents and injuries across the country. 

In 2022, there were 5,486 fatal workplace injuries in the United States, up 5.7% from 2021. Nonfatal illnesses and injuries increased 7.5%, with 2.8 million recorded in 2022. 

According to OSHA, a handful of occupations account for a disproportionate amount of workplace injuries and deaths. Here are the most common jobs in the United States with statistics for 2022, the most recent year for which data is available. 

1. Logging Workers

The 2022 injury and fatality statistics for loggers include:

  • Fatal injury rate: 100.7 per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Fatal injuries: 58
  • Non-fatal injury rate: 111.7 per 10,000 full-time workers

Logging workers are responsible for using heavy machinery to cut down trees, which are then processed into paper products. Loggers and lumberjacks face such a high rate of workplace death because they use dangerous machinery on a regular basis. 

Many injuries and deaths are related to defective machinery, inadequate supervision, improper training, and careless operation. 

2. Roofers

For 2022, injury and fatality statistics for roofers include: 

  • Fatal injury rate: 57.5 per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Fatal injuries: 105
  • Non-fatal injury rate: 185.6 per 10,000 full-time workers

The construction industry overall has one of the highest rates of fatal workplace injuries. There were 1,069 fatal construction injuries in 2022, 19.5% of total fatal work injuries. Construction accidents accounted for more workplace deaths than any other industry. However, roofers stand out for having the most dangerous job in construction. 

Nearly 86% of roofer fatalities were caused by slips, trips, or falls. Most workplace injuries are caused by falls, slips, and trips, but roofers have a high fatality rate as they are usually working at a great height. 

The most common nonfatal injuries for roofers were pain, soreness, fractures, sprains, strains, and tears. 

3. Fishing and Hunting Workers

The 2022 injury and fatality statistics for fishing and hunting workers include: 

  • Fatal injury rate: 50.9 per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Fatal injuries: 16
  • Non-fatal injury rate: 2.6 per 100 full-time workers

Overall, the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry has a fatality rate of 18.6 per 100,000 workers. Workers in fishing and hunting occupations, in particular, have a much higher risk of being killed on the job. These workers often work in hazardous conditions that can lead to serious injuries. 

Fishing workers account for most fatalities in this occupation. Drowning is the leading cause of death, which may be caused by entanglement in nets, being knocked overboard, or slippery decks. 

4. Construction Trades Helpers

The injury and fatality statistics for construction trades helpers in 2022 include:

  • Fatal injury rate: 38.5 per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Non-fatal injury rate: 105.6 per 10,000 full-time workers

After roofers, construction traded helpers had the second-highest rate of fatal injuries in the construction industry. These workers are responsible for performing manual labor and supportive tasks for trade professionals like roofers and electricians. They’re sometimes referred to as construction laborers. 

Electrician’s helpers had the highest rate of injuries, followed by plumbers and pipelayer’s assistants, painter’s helpers, and roofer’s helpers. 

Trade helpers and laborers likely face a high injury and fatality rate for several reasons. They may not be as experienced as specialty tradesmen. They may also be assigned tasks with the highest risk of injury, such as digging trenches and unloading materials. 

5. Flight Engineers and Aircraft Pilots

For the year 2022, injury and fatality statistics for aircraft pilots and flight engineers include:

  • Fatal injury rate: 35.9 per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Non-fatal injury rate: 55.8 per 10,000 full-time workers

Being a flight engineer or pilot is not a career most people would consider dangerous, but it’s one of the top five most dangerous occupations. Commercial pilots account for most fatalities. In 2021, 59 of 68 workplace fatalities were commercial pilots. These pilots handle rescue operations, crop dusting, firefighting, and chartered flights. 

6. Truck Drivers and Driver/Sales Workers

Injury and fatality statistics for truck drivers and driver/sales workers for 2022 include:

  • Fatal injury rate: 30.4 per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Fatal injuries: 1,115
  • Non-fatal injury rate: 249.9 per 10,000 full-time workers

These workers are responsible for collecting, transporting, and delivering shipments and packages. Transportation workers have the most dangerous job in the United States, even higher than construction workers. 

This occupation accounted for the highest share of workplace fatalities in 2022, with most deaths caused by truck accidents. 

7. Trash and Recyclable Material Collectors

The 2022 injury and fatality statistics for trash and recycling collectors include:

  • Fatal injury rate: 22.6 per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Non-fatal injury rate: 258.5 per 10,000 full-time workers

Like truck drivers and delivery drivers, trash and recycling collectors spend most of their workday on the road. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of workplace death for trash collectors. 

8. Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Injury and fatality statistics for structural iron and steel workers in 2022 include:

  • Fatal injury rate: 21.3 per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Fatal injuries: 
  • Non-fatal injury rate: 116.8 per 10,000 full-time workers

Structural steel workers and iron workers are often required to work at high elevations to erect, join, and repair girders and columns that form the framework for bridges and buildings. Most fatalities are caused by slips, trips, and falls. 

If you have been seriously hurt on the job in Manhattan, NY, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. An experienced attorney can help you with the claims process to ensure you receive the maximum benefits you deserve. Your lawyer can also explore other avenues to recover additional compensation, such as third-party claims.

Contact our New York City personal injury lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. to schedule a free consultation.

Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C.
100 Wall St 15th Floor
New York, NY 10005
(212) 514-5007