OSHA: Death investigations down 11% in FY 2024

Washington — OSHA conducted fewer fatality investigations this past fiscal year than in FY 2023, and recorded fewer deaths involving trench collapses and falls – two hazards on which the agency has focused its enforcement resources.

The agency investigated 826 worker deaths in FY 2024 – which ended on Sept. 30 – compared with 928 in FY 2023, the Department of Labor says in a Nov. 4 press release. That’s an 11% reduction.

“Excluding COVID-related deaths, this is the lowest number of worker fatalities OSHA has been mandated to investigate since FY 2017,” DOL says.

OSHA conducted 189 investigations involving fatal falls in FY 2024, compared with 234 in FY 2023 – a 19% decrease. Additionally, the agency has investigated 12 trenching deaths so far this calendar year, compared with 15 in 2023 and 39 in 2022. DOL notes that trench collapses and falls are two of the leading causes of death among workers in the construction industry.

DOL credits the fewer number of investigations involving trenching deaths on the “intensive outreach and education” efforts of OSHA and industry partners, work by State Plan programs, and “aggressive enforcement under a ‘zero tolerance’ policy for unprotected trenches, including immediate inspections and referrals for criminal prosecution where warranted.”

OSHA leader Doug Parker points out in the release that although “fewer workers have died from the hazards OSHA investigates, we still lose more than 5,000 workers each year in largely preventable incidents.”

He continues: “While we’re proud of this progress, our work is far from over. Reducing worker deaths means embracing an approach that makes worker health and safety a core value in every workplace. Only then can we fully address all the causes and factors that lead to workers dying needlessly on the job.”