Workplace Fatalities Up Slightly Last Year

A recent federal report found that the number of fatal workplace injuries edged up slightly across all U.S. occupations — and in the manufacturing sector alone — in 2015.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2015 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries tallied 4,836 workplace fatalities during the year. Although that was the largest annual total since 2008, it exceeded the 2014 total by only 15. The overall fatal injury rate also remained at 3.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.

The manufacturing rate also remained stable at 2.3 per 100,000 workers; the 353 fatalities reported in the segment last year was up from 349 in 2014.

Fabricated metal product manufacturing, however, accounted for a much larger share after the number of fatal injuries jumped from 34 in 2014 to 66 last year.

Fatalities in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations also jumped from 252 in the previous report to 289 last year.