Massachusetts Fatal Injuries at Work, 2021-2022

Massachusetts Fatality Update, 2021-2022

This edition of Massachusetts Fatal Injuries at Work provides an overview of the fatal occupational injuries that occurred in Massachusetts in 2021–2022 and includes details collected by both the Massachusetts Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) projects. Included are deaths traditionally linked to physical and chemical hazards in the work environment such as falls, electrocutions, and exposure to toxic chemicals. Also included are workplace overdoses (from opioids and other substances), homicides and suicides, and motor-vehicle-related fatalities that occur during work or work travel. Workplace and work-related deaths from occupational illnesses, such as health events like heart attacks or asthma attacks, are not systematically counted by the projects and are not included in these analyses.

Table of Contents

178 people died from workplace injuries in Massachusetts in 2021-2022

The leading causes of fatal workplace injuries were:

  • Workplace overdose (n=47)
  • Workplace suicide (n=25)
  • Roadway crash (n=21)
  • Fall to a lower level (n=19)
  • Pedestrian incident (n=14)
  • Struck by falling object or equipment (n=12)

Industries with the highest rates of fatal occupational injuries were:

  • Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting: 36.8 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Landscaping: 14.9 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers
  • Transportation and Utilities: 10.9 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers

To learn more about these fatalities (the workers, the industries, the events), prevention activities, and resources, please see the full report.

Downloads

Date published: June 10, 2024

Help Us Improve Mass.gov  with your feedback

Please do not include personal or contact information.
Feedback