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For Immediate Release

March 15, 2023

CONTACT: Floyd Johnson
Director, Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division
Office: (801) 580-3095
Email: fjohnson@utah.gov

Fatal Work Injuries In Utah Increased During 2021

Salt Lake City – The Utah Labor Commission’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health Bureau of Labor Statistics (UOSH BLS), in conjunction with the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), has released the 2021 fatal occupational injury data for Utah. The information was obtained through the annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) administered by UOSH BLS.

The CFOI produces comprehensive, accurate and timely counts of fatal work injuries. To compile counts that are as complete as possible, the census uses multiple sources to identify, verify, and profile fatal worker injuries. Information about each workplace fatal injury—occupation and other worker characteristics, equipment involved, and circumstances of the event—is obtained by cross-referencing the source records, such as death certificates, workers’ compensation reports, and Federal and State agency administrative reports. In order to be included in the UOSH BLS CFOI, the following criteria are required:

  • the fatality must have resulted from a traumatic injury;
  • the traumatic injury must be related to work; and
  • the incident must have occurred in Utah.

The scope of CFOI incidents includes accidents, homicides and suicides that occur at the workplace.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2021 RESULTS

The number of work-related deaths in Utah increased from 48 in 2020 to 52 in 2021. The overall fatal injury rate for every 100,000 workers was 3.4 in 2020 and remained the same in 2021 at 3.4. The reported national overall fatal injury rate for 2021 was 3.6.

The published fatal injury rates and counts by industry for 2021 are as follows:

Industry Fatal Injury (rate)
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 54.9
Transportation and utilities 21.7
Construction 6.7

 

Industry Fatal Injury (count)
Transportation and warehousing 16
Construction 9
Natural resources and mining 8
Wholesale trade 3
Other services, except public administration 3
Healthcare and social assistance 1
Professional, scientific, and technical services 1
Other* 11

Fatalities by Worker Activity

Worker Activity 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
TOTAL COUNTS 43 49 51 48 52
Vehicular and transportation operations 21 23 14 13 27
Using or operating tools, machinery 5 * 2 1 *
Constructing, repairing, cleaning 7 11 12 11 11
Protective service activities * 2 1 * *
Material handling operations * * 3 7 *
Physical activities, not elsewhere classified * 1 8 3 4
Other activities * * 4 * *
Other* 10 12 8 12 10

Fatalities by Event

Events 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
TOTAL COUNTS 43 49 51 48 52
Transportation 18 22 13 9 26
Contact with objects or equipment 10 7 4 7 9
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals 7 6 8 7 8
Falls, slips, trips 3 6 17 16 6
Exposure to harmful substances or environments 5 6 6 8 3
Fires and explosions 0 2 3 1 0

Fatalities by Event in Industries

  • Transportation incidents (26 fatalities)
    • Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles (14)
    • Nonroadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles (6)
    • Pedestrian vehicular incidents (3)
    • Other* (3)
  • Contact with objects and equipment (9 fatalities)
    • Struck by powered vehicle-nontransport (6)
    • Other* (3)
  • Falls, slips, trips (6 fatalities)
    • Falls to lower level (6)
  • Exposure to harmful substances or environments (3 fatalities)
  • Violence and other injuries by persons or animals (8 fatalities)

Fatalities by Worker Characteristic

  • Gender
    • 49 Men
    • 3 Women
  • Race or ethnic origin
    • 39 White (non-Hispanic)
    • 7 Hispanic or Latino
    • 11 Other*

*Other includes data that may not be available for specific categories

For more information regarding national fatality statistics, visit the BLS website at https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm. For Utah specific fatality data, please refer to the accompanying tables and charts. There are additional tables and charts available upon request. For more information or to request a copy of the report from UOSH BLS, please contact:

Darin Hanson                                   Mechell Alder
(801) 530-6926                                (801) 530-6823
darinhanson@utah.gov                  mechellalder@utah.gov