Workplace Fatalities and OSHA Enforcement, 2024
This page presents two separate federal datasets side by side. BLS counts work-related deaths in the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. OSHA records inspections, violations, and penalties in its enforcement data. The two are independent and are not matched at the record level. Fatality figures are calendar year 2024. Enforcement figures are for inspections opened in calendar year 2024 across federal and state-plan programs. Data queried June 5, 2026.
Key Findings
- BLS recorded 5,070 fatal work injuries in 2024, a rate of 3.3 per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers, down 4.0 percent from 5,283 in 2023.
- Transportation incidents were the leading event, with 1,937 deaths, 38.2 percent of the total.
- Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 844 deaths; contact with objects and equipment 756; violence and other injuries by persons or animals 733; exposure to harmful substances or environments 687; fires and explosions 93.
- Separately, the OSHA enforcement data records 75,927 inspections opened in 2024, associated with 133,724 violations and $342.4 million in current penalties.
Fatal work injuries in 2024 (BLS)
The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries is the authoritative count of work-related deaths in the United States. For 2024, BLS recorded 5,070 fatal work injuries.
| Event or exposure | 2024 deaths |
|---|---|
| Transportation incidents | 1,937 |
| Falls, slips, and trips | 844 |
| Contact with objects and equipment | 756 |
| Violence and other injuries by persons or animals | 733 |
| Exposure to harmful substances or environments | 687 |
| Fires and explosions | 93 |
Transportation incidents were the single largest category at 38.2 percent of all fatal work injuries. Source: BLS CFOI 2024, Table 2 (bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.t02.htm).
Year-over-year
| Measure | 2023 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal work injuries | 5,283 | 5,070 | -4.0% |
| Rate per 100,000 FTE | 3.5 | 3.3 | -0.2 |
BLS noted the decline was led by a drop in deaths from exposure to harmful substances or environments, which fell from 820 in 2023 to 687 in 2024. Source: BLS CFOI 2024 news release (bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm).
OSHA enforcement in the same year
The OSHA enforcement data is a separate record of inspection and citation activity. For inspections opened in calendar year 2024, the data records 75,927 inspections across federal and state-plan programs, 133,724 violations, and $342.4 million in current penalties. These figures count enforcement activity and are not a measure of fatalities. The two datasets are maintained by different agencies for different purposes and are presented here only for context. See the full 2024 OSHA enforcement summary.
Methodology and sources
Fatality figures are from the BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for 2024, final data released February 19, 2026 (USDL-26-0230), at bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm and the event detail at bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.t02.htm. Enforcement figures are from the OSHA violation and inspection tables in the U.S. DOL enforcement data API, for inspections opened in calendar year 2024, federal and state-plan programs combined, delete-flagged records excluded. The two datasets are independent and are not joined at the record level. No figures are estimated.
BLS recorded 5,070 fatal work injuries in 2024, a rate of 3.3 per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers.
Transportation incidents, with 1,937 deaths in 2024, 38.2 percent of the total.
They decreased 4.0 percent, from 5,283 in 2023 to 5,070 in 2024.
No. BLS counts work-related deaths; OSHA records inspections, violations, and penalties. They are separate datasets maintained by different agencies and are not matched at the record level.
Data Source and Methodology
Data synced dailyData on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement database, accessed via the DOL public data API. Records are updated daily. We strive for accuracy, but errors in data processing or establishment grouping are possible. Penalty amounts reflect the latest penalty amounts on record in the DOL database and may differ from initial assessments or final amounts after informal conference, settlement, or judicial review. Company pages group inspection records by normalized employer name, city, and state as reported in OSHA records. That grouping is deterministic and non-fuzzy, but it is not a universal legal-entity identifier. If you believe any record is inaccurate, please report it and we will investigate. This product uses the DOL Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the DOL. For official and authoritative records, visit osha.gov.