According to a recent article published by the U.S. Department of Labor, workplace fatalities have increased from 4,585 in 2013 to 4,679 in 2014. This is the highest number of workplace fatalities since 2008 when 5,214 deaths were reported to the Department of Labor.

The most shocking rise in workplace deaths occurred in the oil-and-gas industry. There were 142 workers’ that died in the oil fields in 2014 which was 27% higher than the 112 workers’ that died in the fields in 2013. Other industries that saw a sharp incline in the number of employee deaths include construction, agriculture, manufacturing and mining. Female employee deaths also rose 13% from the previous year, mostly due to road accidents and homicides.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez issued the following statement: “Far too many people are still killed on the job — 13 workers’ every day taken from their families tragically and unnecessarily. These numbers underscore the urgent need for employers to provide a safe workplace for their employees as the law requires.”

 

Read more here: 

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Workplace Fatalities Likely at Highest Level Since 2008

www.workers’compensation.com:Statement from Secretary of Labor on Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2014